Sydney and Gage: Partners to Partners
by SaltyMama1315
Summary: Someone appears to be after our junior rangers, but who is the real target? Will Gage be able to protect Sydney? Will Sydney be able to save Gage? Will they give into their feelings and finally make their move? ***CHAPTER 6 NOW UP! STORY COMPLETE!***
1. Chapter 1

Sydney & Gage: From Partners to Partners

*DISCLAIMER* I OWN NOTHING OTHER THAN MY OWN IDEAS!

The case they had been working on for 3 weeks had come to a close and not a moment too soon. Sydney missed her bed and after spending 3 weeks in that grungy motel, all she wanted was a nice hot shower and to curl up in bed. She was so tired that she even let Gage drive her home, knowing his track record with driving.

"Syd, you look exhausted."

"Wouldn't you be? I've spent the past 3 weeks having strangers grab me while serving them drinks. Not all of us had it so easy to just stand in the back of the room smiling at the waitresses."

"Hey I had my fair share of stuff to deal with."

"What the handful of fights you broke up?"

"Someone has to look out for you pretty women after all," he replied with that boyish smile of his. Sydney loved that smile. That's how she always ended up forgiving him for whatever stupid thing he said or did. That's part of the reason she fell in love with him.

Gage looked at Sydney as he smiled and knew instantly that his comment was forgiven. Sydney never liked being treated as just a "pretty woman" and she never let him forget it. As she smiled back at him, she placed her hand on his leg. He lost count of how many times she had done that while falling asleep in the car, almost like she thought he'd vanish if she didn't hold on. Truth be told, he didn't mind. He had been in love with Sydney for a long time now and always wondered what her hands would feel like on other parts of his body. Just thinking about it, he could feel a fire burning deep inside him. Hopefully it would subside before they got to her place.

As Gage slowed the car in her apartment building parking lot, Sydney made a frowning face when she looked out the window towards her apartment.

"That's weird."

"What is?" Gage asked her.

"The light I leave on in my living room isn't on. I always leave it on while I'm gone in case I come home late at night."

"You sure you left it on when we left?"

"Positive."

Taking the stairs two at a time, Gage reached the door before Sydney. He withdrew his weapon and she followed suit. He took the right while she stayed to the left. Sliding the key in the lock, Gage turned the knob and gently pushed the door open. He moved to the left while Sydney covered the left.

Reaching over, Gage flipped on the light switch and the junior rangers took in the scene in front of them. Everything was trashed - chairs overturned, pillows slashed, broken dishes, etc. Sydney couldn't believe what she was looking at, this was her home and now it was destroyed. She bent down to pick up a broken photo off the floor but Gage stopped her.

"We need to call Walker. You can't touch anything until crime scene gets here."

Nodding her head, Sydney just looked away with tears in her eyes as Gage made the call to their superior officer. Within minutes, the apartment was flooded with crime scene techs, carefully going over every inch of the apartment.

Walker walked over to Sydney and Gage, a sympathetic look on his face before he spoke.

"Anyone with a grudge against you, Sydney?"

"Besides everyone I've ever collared?"

Walker chuckled. "Yes besides them."

"We've been on a case for almost a month. No telling when this happened or how long my place has looked like this."

"Well you can't stay here, this is a crime scene. You can always come to the ranch if you need somewhere to go," Walker said. "I'm sure Alex and Angela would love to see you."

Sydney appreciated the offer but she didn't want to impose on her boss. She knew she'd be safe at the ranch but she also needed some space to process things. Other than her apartment, there was only one other place she felt safe - with Gage.

She glanced his way and tried to read the expression on his face. She had always been able to read him before but this time, she just couldn't get a read on him. She wished her would speak up and offer to take her in.

Gage, meanwhile, was trying to think of the best way to ask Sydney to stay with him without sounding like a possessive boyfriend. He knew that her home was her sanctuary and the place she felt safe the most, but after seeing what had been done to her home, he knew it wasn't safe anymore.

Finally he spoke. "You can always stay at my place, Syd."

She smiled at him, grateful that he seemed to understand her need to feel safe. "Thanks Gage, are you sure it's no trouble?"

"None at all."

"I'll go grab some things from my bedroom, thanks again Gage."

As Sydney disappeared down the hall, Walker looked at Gage. He studied the junior ranger, almost pleased by the way he wanted to care for his partner was very similar to how he cared for Alex. Although Gage and Sydney hadn't yet confessed their feelings, he could see his rangers getting closer. Maybe this was the push they needed.

A scream brought Walker out of his thoughts as both he and Gage ran down the hall, guns drawn and awaiting trouble. They reached Sydney's room and Walker stayed in the hall while Gage cautiously went inside.

Sydney was standing in the doorway, hands covering her mouth as she surveyed the room. Her bed was completely slashed - blankets, pillows, shams, even the mattress. The framed photo of her and Gage at a picnic at the Walkers ranch that she kept on her bedside table lay smashed on the floor.

"You okay Syd?"

"Who would do this?"

"I don't know Shorty. Why don't you get what you need and we can get out of here?"

"Okay Gage."

She was about to go to the bathroom when she stopped dead in her tracks. She motioned for Gage and he looked over to where she was standing. A trail of rose petals were leading to the bathroom door and it was slightly ajar. Gage stepped in front of her and pushed the door open.

Candles covered the vanity, glowing brightly against the mirror's reflections. They gave just enough illumination for the two rangers to see the message on the mirror, seven chilling letters written in blood red: HE'S MINE.

"Walker!" Gage called for the senior ranger. He came into the room and the first thing he noticed was the photo of Sydney in the sink. It had been taken the day she was accepted into the rangers and had a knife sticking out of it right through Sydney's face.

"Whoa."

"What do you make of this, Walker?" Gage asked him.

"Sydney I hate to ask but are you involved with anyone right now?" the red-headed ranger asked.

"Like who? I have no time for a relationship let alone a date. I'm either at the office, at home or with Gage on a case."

"Well clearly someone thinks you're involved with a man that you shouldn't be. Gage, get her out of here. Don't touch anything. I'm sorry Sydney but you're gonna have to leave everything here."

"I have some stuff in my locker at work plus some stuff in my bag from our last case. I'm sure I can make do with what I have. Let's go Gage."

She walked out the door and didn't look back.

They got to headquarters and went upstairs to Company B. Gage hung back and let her enter the office and head to her locker. He knew that it was important to her to be strong and independent but sometimes he wished she would let him in. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let go over her. He wanted to shield her from all the evils in the world but with who Sydney was as a person, she would never let him do that.

As Sydney walked to her locker, she thought about all that had transpired in the last few hours. Her home was destroyed, everything she held near and dear was gone and some crazy psycho was after her. It all just kind of hit her and she slumped down in the chair next to her. She wanted desperately to have Gage's arms around her, keeping her safe from whatever was happening to her.

She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and she willed herself to not let them fall. Gage could see her start to tremble and before he could stop himself, he was crossing the room and taking her in his arms. She might get mad at him, but too bad. He needed to hold her. He just didn't know how much she needed it too.

After a few minutes of holding her, he pulled back slightly to study her face. He could see the way her tears had stained her cheeks and how her eyes were growing puffy. But most important were her eyes. As he looked in the big brown pools in front of him, he saw something he had seen in his own eyes many times before - a want, a need, a hunger.

Without thinking, he lowered his head to hers. His lips were mere inches from hers and his breath was warm against her face. It sent goosebumps down her skin and she slowly raised her lips to meet his.

As their lips touched, it sent tingles down both of them. Sydney raised her arms going around his neck, her fingers getting lost in his blonde hair. His arms tightened around her tiny waist and he lifted her gently off the floor. Sydney tilted her head slightly and gasped at his strength so Gage deepened the kiss, his tongue boldly entering her mouth searching for hers.

Her legs wound around his waist and he turned, carrying her in his arms and never breaking the kiss. He laid her down on the first hard surface he came too, which happened to be Trivette's desk. Just as he was about to reach for her shirt, her hands stopped him.

"Gage."

"Syd."

"I think it's time to go," she said barely above a whisper. He leaned back and she sat up on Trivette's desk, smoothing back her hair. He held out his hand and she slipped hers in it. He led her back out of the office and headed towards his car.

Gage had no more sat behind the wheel when Sydney pounced on him, her mouth on his and teasing his lips with her tongue until he parted his lips to deepen the kiss. His fingers got tangled in her dark locks and she climbed into his lap. Her fingers went to the buttons on his shirt, she loved it when he wore button down shirts. As she started to undo the buttons, he stopped her.

"Syd."

"Gage."

"We should get going," he said with a husky undertone to his voice. She nodded and climbed back into the passenger seat as he fired up the engine. Normally it took him 20 minutes to get home but tonight he made the drive in about 10. His heart raced the whole way home and he began to imagine the things he'd like to do with his partner once they got home. But most of all, he hoped this wasn't gonna be a one time thing.

As he led her upstairs towards his front door, Sydney's heart was beating so loudly that she thought it was going to jump out of her chest. She had wondered for a long time if they would ever kiss for real, the only other times they had kissed were after Walker & Alex landed the plane after their wedding and when they had been undercover with the Raptors. But to her those weren't real kisses, not like the ones from tonight. She began to think about the other things she'd like to do with her partner and praying it wouldn't just be a fling.

They got to the door and Gage fumbled with his keys, lost in thoughts of the petite woman standing next to him. He finally got it in the lock, opened the door and let her enter. He followed in behind her and couldn't help himself as he focused on her backside as she walked in front of him. He closed the door and threw the deadbolt before dropping their bags near the hall closet. Sydney had made her way to the living room, almost feeling at home from all the time she spent with him when he had lost his hearing.

She turned to face him as he approached her. He stopped near the edge of the couch and looked at her. They stood in a stalemate, neither one sure of what to say but both wanting each other's touch.

Finally, without saying a word, Sydney reached for the bottom of her t-shirt and gently lifted it over her head and dropped it to the floor. She looked to Gage with that same look she had at the office. His hands went to the buttons on his shirt and soon it joined hers on the floor. He took a step towards her and she towards him.

As they stood inches from each other, she brought her hand up to trace her fingers along the scars on his chest from the bear at Lake Ebby where the guys had gone for Walker's bachelor party. She brought her lips to his chest and began to kiss her way along the scars.

He crooked a finger under her chin and raised her head to gaze into her eyes with his own. He searched her face for sign that she wanted him like he wanted her. He searched for a sign that this wouldn't be a mistake. He searched for a sign that he wasn't taking advantage of her in her current emotional state.

Sydney drew him into her arms, caressing his body with her soft touch. She knew he was trying to be a gentleman, a quality she had always admired in him but right now she didn't need a gentleman. She needed him to make love to her and forget everything that had gone on earlier this evening.

Very quietly she spoke to him. "I know what you're trying to do and while I appreciate it..." her voice trailed off as he put a finger to her lips.

"That's enough talking for now, don't you think?" he asked her. She nodded and his lips replaced his finger on her lips. He drew her as close to his body as he could, cradling her body to him. Sydney responded to his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck while he carried her to the bedroom.

Inside the bedroom, he deposited her on the bed and reached into the drawer of his bedside table. He withdrew a bottle of massage oil and gently rolled her to her stomach. He straddled her body and poured the oil on her back. He worked softly working the oil into her skin, starting with her lower back. She carried most of her stress there and he knew it.

As his hands traveled up her back, he reached her bra. Pausing slightly, Sydney realized he was waiting for permission. She wanted to sound confident and sexy when she answered him, but it came out sounding like she was begging him.

"Please."

One little word and his hands wasted no time in unhooking her bra, sliding the straps down her arms. Then his hands went back to the massage he was giving her. He waited for her to relax completely under his touch and he knew the exact moment that she did.

He leaned forward and began to pepper her back with sweet kisses. Sydney tingled under the touch of his lips and his warm breath on her back gave her goosebumps. She stretched underneath him and then rolled so she was lying on her back, facing him. She finished sliding her bra off her arms and waited as Gage took in the sight of her.

As much as he wanted to keep his eyes on her face, but being that he was a guy, he couldn't stop his eyes from jerking down to the skin she bared in front of him. She saw his eyes leave hers and travel down her body and smiled to herself that at least he liked what he saw. She reached her arms up, clasping her hands around his neck and bringing his head down to her she first kissed his lips before letting him kiss her neck.

Gage couldn't help himself. He kissed her neck, moving to the sweet spot just below her earlobe making her gasp with pleasure. His hands moved to her breasts, where her nipples were aching for his touch. He massaged and caressed her breasts, pausing slightly to take her nipples between his fingers. Slowly he lowered his mouth down to them, teasing her with that tongue of his. His hands had moved to her jeans, fumbling with the button and trying to get them open.

He succeeded and slid the zipper down. He leaned up from her perfect body as he watched her wriggle herself out of the rest of her clothes. As she laid before him, naked as the day she was born, he took a moment to fully appreciate her. Then he looked into her eyes and the fire that burned in those big brown pools sent him back into action. He began to kiss her stomach, working his way down. But by the time he reached her belly button, he stopped. He gazed up at her and again, she realized he was waiting for permission again.

"Don't stop now," she whispered to him and that sent him back in motion. His head lowered down her body again and her skin sizzled under his touch. Her breaths started coming in short pants as he probed her. Feeling him tickling inside of her with what she dubbed "the magic tongue", she began to claw wildly at his bedsheets. She had never felt this way; certainly no other man had ever made her feel like this.

Gage withdrew from her and as she laid waiting for him, she could hear rattling and knew it was his belt turning loose from his blue jeans. Even though she had heard that sound many times before, never did it excite her as it did in this moment. She gazed at his muscular body, feeling tingly and warm as she watched his jeans fall to the floor. She reached for him and took his hand to pull him on the bed.

She rolled him to his back and straddling him, feeling the warmth of his arousal through his boxers. She rubbed her hands up and down his chest and he trembled at her soft touch. Sydney leaned forward and took his lips into her possession while her hands caressed him.

Nibbling at his neck, she heard him gasp and felt him shudder. She had found the sweet spot. She continued to tease him while her hands traveled down his body in search of his manhood. At first her fingers teased him through the fabric of his boxers and he let out a low growl.

"Please don't torture me anymore Syd," he pleaded with her. "You're so beautiful and I need to have you now..." she silenced him with a passionate kiss while her hand still toyed with him. Slowly she slid her hand inside the boxers and he let out a small moan when she touched him.

She slowly slid down his body, pulling the cotton shorts with her. Sending a seductive smile up at him, she captured him inside her mouth and he let his head roll back, closing his eyes. After several minutes, when she thought he couldn't take anymore, she raised herself back up and with his hands on her hips, lowered herself onto him.

What began as slow and tantalizing soon became frenzied. She closed her eyes feeling him inside of her and held onto him tight with her legs. His fingers dug into her hips, trying to bring her closer and to go deeper inside of her. With one final thrust, she cried out satisfaction, his moan coming just a moment after hers. She fell to his chest, bathed in sweat.

He rolled to his side, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and sighed. That was amazing, as he knew it would've been.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked her.

"No Gage. It was perfect."

"Are you sure?"

She rolled over to face him. "It was perfect," she said again. She locked eyes with him and pulled his hand to her face. "It was everything I was hoped it would be."

"Everything you hoped it would be? How long have you been thinking about this?"

"How long have you? Clearly I'm not the only one who's been fantasizing here."

"I've wanted this for as long as I can remember. You have no idea how long I've wanted to be with you, like this. I think I've loved you from the minute I saw you."

Sydney went still as she replayed his words. "What did you just say?"

Gage froze for a minute as he realized what he had said to his partner. Sydney looked into his eyes. Finally he sighed and spoke again.

"I've loved you from the moment I saw you."

"You love me?"

"Yeah. I know you probably don't feel the same and that's something I'm gonna have to live with but it's time I stopped fiddling around and told you..." Sydney put her fingers to his lips to quiet him.

"Knowing that you love me makes what just happened even more perfect. But I have my own confession to make," she said softly. He just looked into those warm chocolate brown eyes of hers and waited for her to continue. "I love you too."

"Glad to hear it."

"Also I'd like you to know I hope this wasn't just a fling or that it happened because of what went on at my apartment tonight. I'd like to think this wasn't a one time kinda thing."

"If I had my way, I'd be making love to you every night but I know how independent you are and I don't want to sound like a possessive boyfriend or something."

She kissed him softly and stroked his face with her hand. "Thank you for respecting my independence and you could never sound possessive."

"I just want to say the right things with you."

"You already do."

"I don't want to mess things up with you Shorty."

"The only way that could happen is if you lied when you said you love me."

"Not possible."

"Good. Now can we get some sleep?"

"Whatever you want."

Sydney snuggled in closer to his chest and Gage wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. Soon their breathing regulated and they both drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

A dark figure stood in the shadows of Gage's apartment building and had watched the junior partners enter his place. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were together again. **Damn that Sydney Cooke. She just didn't know to leave well enough alone. She didn't deserve Gage and it was about time she knew it.** Grounding out a cigarette butt, the figure got into a car and sped away.

When Sydney awoke the next morning, her body felt sore in all the right places. A smile crossed her face as she open her eyes to Gage's bare chest and she lightly pressed a kiss to his chest. Then she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his nose. Finally she pressed a kiss to his lips and as he awoke, he responded to her kiss.

"Good morning," he said to her.

"Try great morning. Great night too."

"I happen to agree."

"We should talk though," Sydney said, sitting up. Gage sat up next to her and took her hand in his.

"What's wrong? I thought you said you wanted it to happen."

"Oh I did and I would like to see it happen again, many many times," she added with a wink. "What I mean is we need to talk about Walker and work."

"I guess we have to tell him," Gage replied.

"Are you worried about what he's gonna say?"

"A little but I'm not letting anyone or anything come between us now that I have you."

"I feel the same way. I love you Gage."

"I love you too Shorty."

"So what do we tell him?"

"That we had the most amazing sex ever last night," he said with a straight face. Sydney smacked him on the arm and her mouth went open.

"Gage!"

"I was only kidding. Geez, lighten up a bit. We just need to be straight with him. We love each other and nothing is gonna tear us apart. Hopefully he won't have to separate us, but if it came down to being a Texas Ranger or being with you, I'd pick you every time."

She just stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide. Did he really just say he'd give up his badge for her? She could never ask him to do that. She knew how hard he worked to earn his star.

"I can't ask you to do that," Sydney said.

"You didn't but I wanted you to know that I would. Now how about a shower and some coffee?" he asked with a wink.

"You're on Francis."

Tossing back e blankets, Sydney stood and Gage just watched her as he again admired her perfect body. It was so right how they fit together, not just physically but in every sense of the word.

She stood in the doorway of the bathroom, flashed an inviting smile over her shoulder and slipped inside. Gage got up and followed her inside and into the waiting shower.

After they shared a shower and some coffee, they laid back on the bed holding each other. It was nice for them to just be together and not to worry about anything else. But work was waiting for them and they both knew it. Reluctantly, they both got dressed, rinsed out their cups and began to head for the door.

"Hey Syd, I don't want you to worry about Walker or Trivette. I will handle it."

"Gage, I can handle it. You don't have to protect me from everything."

"I know, but I want to protect you from this for as long as I can."

She smiled at him, knowing he would protect her from the world because that's the kinda guy he was and she loved him for it.

He reached for the doorknob and as they opened the door, they both saw the long white box waiting for them on the stoop. Sydney looked at Gage as he bent down to check it out. He didn't hear any ticking so he was fairly convinced it wasn't a bomb, but to be safe, he lifted the lid.

Inside were the most beautiful red roses, about 2 dozen by Gage's count. He looked up at Sydney and he could see confusion and appreciation in her eyes.

"Gage, did you get me roses? When did you have time to do that?"

"Syd, as much as I would love to take credit for this, I didn't order these roses."

"Are we sure they were delivered to the right apartment? Maybe they belong to one off your neighbors?"

"Not unless one of my neighbors was also expecting a dead rat," he said pointing inside the box. Sydney looked over his shoulder and saw the dead rat, lying in the paper next to the roses. It was then that she saw the note.

"There's a note." Gage pulled it out and Sydney took it carefully in her hands. She opened it up and read it aloud to Gage.

 _My Dearest Sydney, next time the rat won't be the only one dead if you don't leave him alone. He's mine and always will be._

"Nobody knew I was here except you, Walker and Trivette. Who is doing this to me?" Sydney asked with tears in her eyes. Gage just stood up and took her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head.

"I don't know but I gotta call Walker. Why don't you go lay down and wait for them to get here?"

"Okay," she said in a small voice. She disappeared back into the bedroom while Gage pulled out his cell phone.

About 25 minutes later, Walker and Trivette walked into Gage's apartment. He was sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee and Sydney was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Sydney?" Walker asked.

"She's laying down. This whole thing has her more spooked than she wants to admit, I think. I just don't get it though; nobody knew she was here but us."

"Do you think someone could be watching her, Walker?" Trivette asked.

"Possibly. If it's the same person who trashed her place last night, they could be watching her. I need to go talk to her, do you mind Gage?" he asked his junior ranger.

"Go ahead Boss."

Walker disappeared down the hall and knocked on the door to Gage's bedroom. He heard Sydney call for him to come in and he slowly opened the door.

"Walker?"

"Hey Sydney. I wanted to talk to you about what happened today. I can understand that you must be feeling after this, but I really need you to think long and hard about it. Are you sure there is nobody in your mind that sticks out that could be doing this to you?"

"Walker, I've thought about it. I really have but like I said before, I'm either at the office, at home or out somewhere undercover with Gage. When would I have time to even meet a man?"

Walker thought about what she said and then turned to meet her gaze. Something finally clicked.

"You don't think that…." Walker started.

"Gage is the guy," Sydney finished.

"Makes sense. You said it yourself."

"So does that mean I'm really the target or is Gage?"

"I don't know but now we have to widen our search. Let's go talk to Gage and Trivette."

The two made their way back to the kitchen and saw Gage and Trivette drinking coffee and chatting quietly. They both turned and saw Walker and Sydney coming down the hall towards them.

"What is it?" Gage asked.

"Gage, I hate to ask because I know its personal, but have you been on a date recently?" Walker asked. Gage just looked at Sydney and then shook his head.

"No. Syd and I were on that case for the last month."

"What about before that?" Walker asked.

"What's going on?" Trivette asked.

"We think we know who the "he" is that this person is referring too," Sydney said.

"Who?" Trivette asked.

"Gage," Walker and Sydney said at the same time.

"Me?" Gage asked shocked.

"Gage, just listen to me for a second. Like I told Walker last night, I'm either at the office, home or we're undercover somewhere. I don't have time to meet anyone so if someone thinks I've taken their man, you're the only man that fits, unless Alex or Erika has suddenly developed an issue with me," Sydney finished.

"It does make sense Gage. You can't think of anyone?" Walker asked.

"Nope."

"So what do we now Walker?" Sydney asked.

"I hate to say it, but maybe you guys should go to safe house."

"Why should we go into hiding?" Gage asked.

"We're Texas Rangers. We know how to take care of ourselves," Sydney added.

"I know that, but until we know which one of you is the real target, it's better to be safe than sorry. Think you guys could manage to get along together in a safe house for a bit?" Walker asked.

Gage and Sydney both looked at each other, each thinking of what had happened the night before in his warm and comfy bed. Then they both looked at Walker and nodded.

"Good. Let's get it set up. Why don't you guys throw some stuff together and we'll be back in half an hour to take you to the safe house?" Walker said, motioning for Trivette to follow him. They left and when he heard the door close, Gage turned to look at Sydney.

"Are you okay with this?"

"What, going to a safe house or some whack job who wants to take me out because of you?"

"Either."

"I'm not crazy about the safe house, but at least we'll be together. As far as the whack job is concerned, she's gonna have to go through me if she thinks she's gonna get you away from me."

Gage reached out, his hands taking hold to the sides of her face and kissed her with all the passion he could summon. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her fingers getting lost in his hair. She parted her lips and Gage deepened his kiss on her, his hands going around her and dancing lightly up her back before scooping her up in his arms and heading towards the bed.

He laid her down and continued his assault on her lips while he hand slid under her shirt. He moved his lips to her neck while she gasped for breath.

"Gage, Walker is going to be back soon. We can't do this now."

"But I need you, I have to have you. We can make it quick."

"Gage, the next time we make love, I want to be able to take our time with each other."

"I'm glad to hear there's gonna be a next time."

"Well, we are gonna be stuck in that safe house together. There can be many times," she added with a coy smile.

"I'm very glad to hear that," he said, his hands caressing the side of her face.

"So why don't you get your stuff ready?"

"Don't you have to get your stuff ready?"

"I didn't have much here and I packed my bag earlier. I had to do something while we waited for Walker and Trivette."

"What, were you planning on leaving me already?"

"Francis, you can't get rid of me that easily," she murmured against his ear, Gage liking the sound of his first name on her lips. He brought his lips back to hers, kissing her ferociously as the doorbell rang.

"That's gotta be Walker. Let's go, Francis," Sydney said standing up and grabbing her bag. She watched Gage grab a duffel from his closet and haphazardly throw some clothes and toiletries in it. He then took her bag and followed her to the door.

Looking out the peephole, Sydney saw it was Walker, along with a couple DPD officers. She unlocked the door and opened it wide for them to enter.

"It's all set. Officers Ashton and Rollins will be escorting you to the safe house. Gage, I want you to take this burner cell phone with you, I'm the only one with the number. We can't take the chance that your cell phones could be bugged. Slightest chance that something is wrong, I want you to check in with me. Day or night, it doesn't matter. In the meantime, Trivette and I are going to do some digging into past cases you've both been involved in where there was also a woman involved. She has to know you both from somewhere," Walker finished.

"Sounds good. Let's roll Shorty," Gage said.

Sydney followed Walker out the door, followed by Gage and then the DPD officers closed and locked the apartment door before coming up behind Gage. Sydney and Gage were loaded into the back of a black SUV and Officer Ashton got in the driver's seat. Officers Rollins got a few more instructions from Walker before getting in. The car pulled away from the curb and Walker kept a watchful eye to make sure they weren't followed.

After they arrived at the safe house, Officer Rollins checked the perimeter before allowing Gage and Sydney to exit the vehicle. He led the way to the door with Officer Ashton following behind the young rangers. Officer Rollins unlocked the door and let everyone inside.

"Ranger Walker would like us to do a check of the interior before we leave," Rollins explained.

"Of course, Officer. Thank you," Sydney said with a smile. Rollins took the upstairs while Ashton searched downstairs. About 15 minutes later, they both came back to report that everything appeared to be fine.

"Thanks again Officers, please let Walker know we'll be in touch," Gage said as he followed them to the door and locked it securely behind them. He turned to find Sydney staring at him, eyes hungry for him. He didn't need to think of anything else, he just needed her.

He crossed the room in three strides, grasping her shoulders and pulling her towards him and his waiting lips. As he crashed against her, his hands again began to roam under her shirt. This time, she didn't stop him but merely put her arms up so he could remove her shirt. He did and his knuckles rubbed against the edges of her breasts, feeling the lacy fabric with his fingers.

Sydney took her hands and planted them on his chest to push him back onto the sofa. Climbing over his legs to straddle him, she kissed him again and began to undo the buttons on his shirt.

When her fingers had finished the last of the buttons, he just sat content as she spread his shirt wide planting kisses all over his chest. His head rolled to the back of the sofa and his eyes closed as she brought her tongue across his nipples. He shuddered under her touch and at that point, he was a slave to her desires.

She reached down between them to his belt. Within seconds, she had it undone and was pulling his jeans open to reach inside. Sydney then stood, unbuttoned her own jeans and slid them down her long legs. Gage watched her with sheer desire as she stood before him in her lacy bra and panties. Slowly, she sank to her knees and pulled his jeans away from his body.

She felt along his boxers, eager to find the prize inside. It wasn't hard to find, already erect and waiting for her. She then slid his boxers down his legs and her light nimble fingers began to tease him.

Gage moaned, his head once again rolling to the back of the sofa. Sydney was truly a woman of many talents and he was grateful to be experiencing that first hand. She toyed with him for a few more minutes with her hands before he felt her mouth on him. He moaned again, he could barely stand it now. If he couldn't get inside her soon, he thought he was going to explode.

Sydney could sense he was almost to his breaking point and slowly stood, reaching behind herself to unclasp her bra. She let it slide slowly to the floor before pushing her panties down and settling herself on top of him. His hands went to her waist to guide her on.

Once inside of her, Gage felt like he was in heaven. He started with slow, careful movements wanting to make this last forever. But Sydney had other ideas. She began to quicken her pace, digging her nails into his shoulders as his fingers dug into her hips. She arched her back as she rode him, his mouth taking the hard nub of her breast. As he teased it with his tongue, Sydney began to pant heavily. Gage switched to the other breast to give it the same satisfaction.

Finally, with one last thrust, she cried out in satisfaction only to be followed by his moan. Sydney dropped her head to his shoulder as she struggled to catch her breath. She looked at Gage and kissed him soft and sweet, even though he was still inside of her. She rolled off to his side and his arm came around her to pull her close.

"That was incredible," Gage said, still breathing hard.

"You weren't so bad yourself," Sydney teased.

"I love you Syd."

"I love you too Gage. Shall we go upstairs?"

"Ready for another round?" he asked, eyeing her.

"I need a shower and some sleep before morning. Today has been one hell of a day," she replied standing and holding her hand out to him. He took her hand and together they went upstairs to the bedroom.

Sydney went into the bathroom and Gage heard the shower turn on. He laid on the bed as he pictured the warm, sizzling water running over her body. The thoughts that creeped into his head slowly made their way down to his manhood and suddenly he was painful but happily aroused.

The water stopped and Sydney emerged from the bathroom, clad in a towel around her waist. She took in the sight of Gage, lying on the bed with his eyes closed and his manhood erect.

 _Guess I better help him take care of that_ , she thought to herself as she walked over to the bed and leaned down to press her lips to his. His arms went around her and pulled her on top of him, his hand roaming under her towel. He deepened his kiss, boldly sliding his tongue into her mouth to tango with hers. Her arms went around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Boy Gage, what an insatiable appetite you have tonight," she purred into his ear, nibbling at it.

"Only when it comes to you, Honey," he replied, kissing her again.

"I need some sleep if we ever hope to catch this maniac and go home."

Reluctantly, Gage removed his hand from under her towel and kissed her once more, soft and gentle. "Okay, then I think I'm in need of a cold, cold shower." With that, he got up and headed for the bathroom.

Sydney went to her suitcase and was about to pull out her night shirt when she suddenly reached for Gage's bag instead. She unzipped the bag and rooted around until she found one of his t-shirts. Pulling it out, she slipped it over her head and climbed into bed to wait for him.

Gage emerged from the bathroom and was careful not to look in her direction. He knew they both needed some sleep but it was like he was addicted to her, now that they had revealed their feelings. He craved her touch on his skin, the feeling of her lips on his, her hands tangling themselves in his hair.

Once he pulled on his boxers, he climbed into bed with Sydney. He kissed her cheek before enveloping her in his arms. Her back was up against his bare chest and it was only then that he realized that the shirt she had on belonged to him.

"Why are you wearing my shirt?" he asked her.

"Because it smells like you and you make me feel safe," she replied, stifling a yawn.

"Works for me. I always want to keep you safe Syd. I love you."

"I love you too Gage. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Bright and early at 8:00 am the next morning, Walker strolled in through the doors of Company B, hanging up his hat on the coat rack. He slipped off his jacket and hung it next to his hat. He then sat at his desk and called a hello to Trivette.

Just then, his somewhat newly appointed assistant walked over to his desk. Captain Briscoe had decided an assistant was just what Walker needed so that he could focus on the streets and his assistant could help with the office stuff.

"Good morning Ranger Walker. Where's Ranger Gage? And Ranger Cooke?" she added quickly.

"Rangers Gage and Cooke are currently at an unspecified location, Hilary."

"Oh, can I get you some coffee Ranger Walker?" she asked brightly.

"Thanks, I'd love a cup."

"Coming right up. Ranger Trivette, would you like some coffee?" she asked, turning to face him.

"That'd be great. Thanks Hilary."

Hilary busied herself getting coffee for the two senior rangers as she cast a glance at Gage's desk.

"We've got to be missing something Trivette," Walker was saying as she returned with the cups. She set one cup in front of each ranger and smiled.

"Anything else Ranger Walker?"

"Yes. I need these tapes transcribed so I can get the information to the DA's office as soon as possible."

"Of course." Hilary picked up the tapes and headed over to her desk. She liked working for Walker, he was known quite well for his reputation and almost everyone in law enforcement in the state of Texas wanted to work either with him or for him.

"Trivette, we've got to be missing something," Walker said again.

"We've gone over everything from Sydney's apartment. No fingerprints, no fibers, nothing. It's almost like a ghost was the one to vandalize the place. According to the crime scene guys, the writing on the mirror was done with paint, not blood so that's really nothing traceable. You can buy that paint at any hardware store and there's about 6 of them within the 10 blocks to Sydney's apartment.

Gage's apartment is clean, only fingerprints found inside belong to him, Sydney, us and a few others who have been there from time to time. No useable prints on the flower box except Gage's and Sydney's as well as the florist who packaged the order. The team canvassed the whole block and the only thing they found that they thought might be interesting was a cigarette butt across the street from the apartment building. According to one of the techs, if you were to stand at that spot, you have a pretty good view of Gage's living room and bedroom."

"Who else besides the four of us knew Sydney was staying with Gage last night?" Walker asked.

"Nobody that I know. I didn't even tell Erika when I got home about it. She was asleep and I just followed suit. Did you tell Alex?"

"No. So that must mean that whoever delivered the flowers must have been watching her apartment and saw her leave with Gage."

"Are you thinking that the person who trashed her apartment and the person who delivered the flowers are one and the same?" Trivette asked.

"Yeah, I do."

"So what do we do now?"

"I think we need to take a look at women from Gage's past that have experiences with law enforcement."

"That you Cherokee instincts again?"

"Think about it, Trivette. The person who did this, if it is the same person, left no physical evidence. No fingerprints, no fibers. Either this person is a professional or this person has law enforcement knowledge. Where did Gage work before joining the rangers in Houston?"

Trivette checked Gage's file. "After graduating from college, he did a short stint in the military, followed by the police academy. He worked for Port Arthur PD for a couple years and then joined the rangers in Houston. That's where he and Sydney became partners; they went undercover for almost a year to bring down El Leon. Then we asked them to come to Dallas."

"Maybe we should see if anyone from his past connects to the different times in his life. Clearly whomever this person is thinks that she belongs with Gage and that Sydney is in the way. I think we should concentrate on his time in Houston with Sydney and their time here together. Maybe we can get lucky and catch a break or something. But maybe we should go back to the apartment and have another look around. Fresh eyes can't hurt anything I suppose."

"Okay. Let's go."

"Hilary, do you mind coming with us for a little experiment?" Walker asked the pretty blonde assistant.

"Of course not, Ranger Walker. Anything I can do to help."

"Okay, let's get over to Gage's apartment."

Walker, Trivette and Hilary arrived at Gage's apartment building. Trivette went to the sidewalk where they found the cigarette butt while Walker and Hilary went inside.

"What are we looking for Ranger Walker?" Hilary asked him.

"I need you to come stand in front of the living room window, please." Hilary did as he asked and Walker pulled out his cell phone, ignoring the pile of clothes by the couch that clearly belonged to both Gage and Sydney. He dialed Trivette.

"Trivette."

"Tell me what you see," Walker stated.

"I can see you and Hilary standing in the living room, clear as day. The couch is right behind you facing the TV set and there's a couple mugs of cold coffee sitting on the table."

"Okay, hold on." Walker turned to Hilary. "Come with me."

Hilary followed him down the hallway to Gage's bedroom. Walker ignored the messed up bed and had Hilary stand in front of the window again.

"How about now, Trivette?"

"Clear as day, I see you and Hilary."

"What else can you see?"

"That Gage needs to be a better housekeeper. He could've at least made the bed before they left."

"Okay, thanks Trivette. We'll be right out." He hung up the phone and turned to Hilary. "Thanks for your help Hilary."

"Of course Ranger Walker. If I may ask, what exactly we were doing?"

Walker debated telling her, but knew that he should probably trust her. After all, she was handpicked by Briscoe to assist him.

"Someone ransacked Ranger Cooke's apartment a few nights ago and she was staying here with Ranger Gage. Well, yesterday morning, a box of flowers were delivered here for Ranger Cooke with a dead rat inside."

"How awful for Ranger Cooke. Is she alright?"

"A little shaken, but that's to be expected."

"Is that why Ranger Cooke and Ranger Gage are missing?"

"Not missing, we just moved them to a safe house until we can find out who's doing this."

"Oh, well at least Ranger Cooke isn't alone. She must be happy about that."

"I'm sure she is. Let's head back to the office. I need to make another call."

When Gage heard the phone ringing, he grabbed it up before it could wake Sydney. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned as he answered it.

"Gage."

"It's Walker. Everything go okay last night?"

"Yeah, everything went fine. We got all settled in and there hasn't been so much as a peep."

"Okay, well I wanted to bring both you and Sydney up to speed if you have a moment."

"Yeah, hold on a minute." Gage covered the mouthpiece on the phone and nudged Sydney with his elbow. "Syd?"

"Mmhmm," came the reply from the sleeping brunette.

"Walker's on the phone."

Sydney was suddenly more alert as she heard her superior officer was calling them. She sat up next to Gage and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.

"What's going on?"

"He wants to bring us up to speed on everything so far."

"Okay."

Gage uncovered the phone and hit the speaker button. "Okay Walker, we've got you on speaker."

"Good morning Sydney."

"Good morning Walker."

"The crime scene techs have been over both of your apartments. Nothing useable at either scene."

"No prints?" Sydney asked.

"Nothing. It's also very likely that the person who trashed your apartment, Sydney, was the same person to deliver the flowers to you at Gage's apartment. That can only mean they were watching you leave that night."

"Then why didn't they come after us when we were at headquarters?" Sydney asked.

"I have no idea."

"So what do we do now, Walker?" Gage asked.

"Well, as far as I can fathom, I believe the person who is doing this is someone from your past. As you two didn't become partners until you were in Houston, it's safe to say that's where this person set sights on you, Gage. Then they followed you both here to Dallas."

"Any ideas on who this person is?" Sydney asked.

"None yet. We're working on it. You both just stay safe and stay alert."

"Keep us posted. Thanks Walker," Gage said.

"Yeah, thanks Walker," Sydney added as Gage hung up the phone. He turned to look at her. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too," Sydney said, kissing his nose.

"How are you doing this morning?" he asked, searching her eyes for an answer.

"Everything just feels surreal. I mean, one day I'm excited to be going home after working a long and tough case. Next thing I know, my place is trashed and I end up at your place. Then I find out whomever is doing this to me is obsessed with you and it forces you out of your house and now we're both stuck in the middle of nowhere like sitting ducks."

"First of all, there's nobody else I would rather be stuck in the middle of nowhere with. Secondly, just because someone is deranged enough to think there is something between me and her does nothing for me. You are the one for my, Syd. You always have been.

I gotta tell you that when we got paired together all those years ago to catch El Leon, I was skeptical at first working with a woman. Then I found out that woman was you and it made me feel better knowing I was at least working with someone I knew and knew well. Then we started spending all that time together in that dingy, cramped apartment and each day I fell more and more in love with you.

When we got asked to assist Walker and Trivette on that case, I was ecstatic to spend more time with you. Then Walker asked me to stay in Dallas and come to work with him. He asked about who I'd like for my partner, I couldn't think of anyone better than you. I told him I wouldn't come to Dallas without you and he asked you to stay as well. I have now come to realize Walker did the right thing by asking you to stay with me in Dallas."

"Gage, when we got paired together, I knew we would be partners for life. The more time I spent with you, the more I fell in love with you too. There's always been something about you that I've been drawn to, like a moth to a flame. I've never wanted to be with anyone else the way I want to be with you. I love you, Gage and I always have.

I've always felt like I needed to keep my emotions in check when it came to you because even if you didn't feel the same way about me, I knew I could still be with you as your partner and your friend. But now, we've been drawn together by horrible circumstances and all I can really think is how grateful I am."

"Grateful?" he asked, puzzled.

"I'm grateful because it brought us closer together. It has forced us to take a deeper look at our feelings and finally admit what we've both been holding onto for so long. It has allowed me to step down for a minute as Sydney the Ranger to be Sydney the Woman and allow you to care for me and protect me. I've never really had that before and I've always had to push that side of me down because of my job. Being a "weak, defenseless female" does not make for a good Texas Ranger."

"You are an amazing Texas Ranger and I love you very much. As soon as we get back home, I want to do this right. Ask you out on a date and prove to you I can be the man you need."

"You are already the man I need," Sydney said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his close to her. Her lips found his, teasing her way along them until he yielded to her.

"Now that was amazing," Gage said a moment later.

"Thanks, you weren't so bad yourself. But I think we need to find something else to occupy our time today. Let's get some breakfast and maybe we can go for a walk or something," Sydney said, slipping out of the bed and grabbing a pair of shorts from her bag. She slipped them on, knowing full well that Gage was watching her with intense satisfaction.

"Whatever you say, Syd."

"Come on, Romeo," she said with a laugh as she headed down the stairs towards the kitchen.

Walker was sitting at his desk when Hilary came up to him. He looked deep in thought and almost didn't notice the blonde woman standing before him. He looked up with a startled look.

"Yes Hilary?"

"I was just letting you know I was going for lunch. Can I bring you back anything?"

"No thanks. I'm actually going to meet my wife and daughter for lunch today."

"Say hello to Mrs. Walker and that beautiful baby girl for me."

"See you in an hour, Ranger Walker." Hilary turned and walked out of Company B.

Walker had met with Alex and Angela at a restaurant near the office. They talked, laughed and smiled at the little seven month old baby with her blonde hair and green eyes. She was the perfect combination of both her parents.

"Any word on Gage and Sydney?" Alex asked her husband.

"They're at the safe house for now. I keep hoping for a lead, but I can't seem to catch a break. This person certainly is smart. They always seem to be one step ahead of us."

"You don't have any leads?"

"Nothing. I can't even think of where this person would've come in contact with them."

"Well if it's someone who knows both of them, wouldn't it stand to reason that this person might have met them in Houston? That's where they became partners, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I'll have to ask them the next time I talk to them."

Changing the subject, Alex looked at her husband. "How's the new assistant working out?"

"Still taking a little getting used to. I've never had an assistant before. But Hilary is doing a great job. She must be pretty good for Briscoe to personally select her."

"Where did she work before coming here?"

"She worked at Ranger Headquarters in Houston. She was an administrative assistant."

"She worked in Houston? Does she know Gage and Sydney? If she worked at Ranger Headquarters, I would imagine she must know them."

"I never thought of that."

"Maybe she would have an idea of who this is. Being an administrative assistant, she would've known about all of their busts and if anyone held a grudge against Sydney or an attrafction to Gage."

"I'll have to ask her when I get back to the office."

"Well, I don't want this to end, Cowboy, but I have to get Angela back to the H.O.P.E. center and get back to work."

"Let me take her and you can go back now. I need some Daddy/Daughter time with her."

"Sounds great. I love you Cowboy."

"I love you Alex. Come on Angela. Time to go with Daddy," he said with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Sydney and Gage were taking a walk around the edge of the property, holding hands and just enjoying each other's company. It felt complete serene to be able to just be together and able to explore their feelings without speculation from their coworkers and friends.

"This is really nice," Sydney said as she leaned in closer to Gage. His arm went around her shoulders and he smiled down at her.

"I know what you mean. It's nice to just spend some time together."

"Well, we'll just have to find a way to spend time together once we get home," Sydney said with a wink.

"I like the sound of that," he replied as he leaned down to kiss her lips. She kissed him back and took his hand once more to lead him back to the house.

"Let's get some lunch, Francis."

"You know, I've never liked hearing my name as much as I love hearing it when you say it," he said, sneaking for another kiss.

"Come on, let's get you fed," she replied laughing.

Walker had gotten back to the office and looked around for Hilary. He wanted to ask her about her time spent in Houston, but she was nowhere to be found. He started out the door and up to Briscoe's office to see if he knew where she was.

He got upstairs and knocked on Briscoe's door.

"Come in."

Walker went inside. "Hey Capt."

"Hello Walker. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you knew where Hilary was. I wanted to ask her something but I can't find her."

"She was up here about an hour ago. She went to lunch with Amy. Let me see if she's back yet."

Briscoe went to the small office next to his and poked his head in the door. He saw his assistant Amy sitting at her desk.

"Amy, can you come in here a moment?"

"Sure Captain Briscoe." Amy walked in and saw Walker standing there. "Hello Ranger Walker."

"Hello Amy. I was wondering if you knew where Hilary was."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I forgot to tell you. She and I went to lunch and she started feeling sick. I told her to head home to rest and that I would tell you she went home. I am so sorry."

"It's okay Amy. I hope she feels better."

"Me too. There's quite a nasty bug going around right now."

"Amy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Ranger Walker."

"Did you know Hilary when she worked in Houston?"

"Yeah. We've been friends since middle school. She started working in Houston when I started here in Dallas."

"Do you know if she knew Ranger Cooke or Ranger Gage while she worked in Houston?"

"Yeah, she used to eat lunch with Ranger Gage quite a bit while she worked there. He was one of the first people that she met in Houston and they seemed to get along quite well right off the bat."

"So they were friendly?"

"I'd say they were friends. When she got hired to work here in Dallas, she said she was excited to see Ranger Gage again."

"Okay, thanks Amy. I'll see you later Capt."

"Good day Walker."

Walker headed back upstairs. Alex was right, well at least half right. But if Hilary knew Gage, she must have known Sydney too. He was actually kinda surprised that neither Gage or Sydney said anything when Hilary got hired as his assistant. He decided to call Gage and ask him about Hilary.

Sydney was in the kitchen, making them some sandwiches while Gage sat on the couch, looking for something for them to watch on TV. He was searching for a boxing match that he knew was supposed to be on when they phone rang. He picked it up.

"Gage."

"It's Walker."

"What's up Walker?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Do you remember a woman named Hilary Wilson?"

"Sounds familiar. Why?"

"Did you work with her in Houston?"

"I think she worked at headquarters. I honestly haven't seen her in a while, well since I came to Dallas. Why?"

"You didn't recognize her?"

"Huh?"

"Hilary Wilson was the woman Briscoe hired to be my assistant."

"No, Hilary Wilson is a redhead. Your assistant is blonde."

"Why are you asking about Hilary Wilson?" Sydney asked, coming in from the kitchen having heard the other woman's name. Gage turned to look at her.

"Hold on Walker." He turned to Sydney. "Did you know that Hilary Wilson was hired as Walker's assistant?"

"Yeah. Just because she colored her hair doesn't make her face any less recognizable."

"You knew she dyed her hair?"

"I am a woman, Gage. I do notice these things. So why is Walker asking about her?"

"Hold on, I'll out it on speaker." He pressed the button. "You're on speaker Walker."

"Sydney do you know Hilary Wilson?" Walker asked.

"Yeah, she worked at the Houston headquarters. She wasn't exactly the friendliest person. I was surprised when you hired her to be your assistant. She didn't do a great job in Houston."

"So you know her well?"

"Like I said, she wasn't the friendliest person. I always made polite conversation when I saw her but it was almost like she had her mind wrapped around something or someone else. She always kinda gave me the brush off."

"Walker, what's going on?" Gage asked.

"We naturally assumed that the person who was doing this was someone you both encountered on a case in your past. Maybe it was someone you both connected with in the office back in Houston."

"Are you saying you think Hilary Wilson is doing this to me?" Sydney asked.

"I don't know for sure. Gage, what was your relationship like with Hilary?" Walker asked.

Gage thought long and hard back to his dog days in Houston.

********FLASHBACK********

 _Francis Gage entered headquarters and headed straight for the coffee pot. He'd had a long night and needed a strong cup of java to get him moving this morning. Last night, he'd gotten into a disagreement with his sister, Julie, about something he wasn't even sure why they were arguing over._

 _To his surprise, the coffee pot wasn't there. He groaned slightly and began to head back out the door to go to the coffee cart down the street. As he turned, he bumped into someone._

" _Excuse me," he said, not looking up right away._

" _Totally my fault. I was busying trying to clean the coffee pot," came a female voice. Gage finally looked up and into the deepest green eyes he had ever seen. The green eyes belonged to a perky, pretty redhead with a million dollar smile._

" _No worries. I was just on my way to get some coffee."_

" _You're Ranger Gage, right?" the woman asked him._

" _Yeah, everyone just calls me Gage. You are?"_

" _Hilary. I just started here."_

" _You're a ranger?"_

" _I wish. I actually work in the administrative office."_

" _Sounds like interesting work."_

" _Hey, someone has to push papers while strong men like you are keeping the streets of Houston safe," Hilary said as she smiled at him again._

" _Would you like to join me for a coffee?" Gage asked her._

" _I'd love to Ranger Gage. Oh, sorry, Gage."_

 _Gage offered his arm. "Shall we?"_

Coming back to the present, Gage wondered how he could've missed that smile on the now blonde woman who worked for his boss. It was that smile that he remembered most about Hilary Wilson.

"Gage?" Walker asked. Sydney poked Gage in the shoulder and he shook the cobwebs from his head.

"Yeah Walker?"

"What was your relationship with Hilary like?" he asked again.

"We had coffee a couple times, had lunch together a couple times. Nothing major, nothing serious. Why?"

"I know it's none of my business, but were you ever involved with her?"

"She had asked me out a couple times, but I always said no. She was cute, just not my type. Shortly after that, Syd and I went undercover. When we got done and back to work, Hilary was gone. I didn't know where she ended up, although I guess I do now."

As Sydney looked at Gage talking to Walker, she could tell he was lying. She had studied his face enough over the years to know when Gage was lying. Especially since he was so bad at it. He would start talking just a little bit faster and he blinked a lot more than normal. She decided to wait until he got off the phone before she questioned him.

After Gage hung up the phone, he noticed Sydney was really quiet. He watched her quietly, wondering if Walker's questions about Hilary had her rethinking their relationship. Things were going to well between them and he would hate to think that a blast from the past could ruin things for them.

Finally, he just had to know. "Something bothering you, Syd?"

"Why did you lie to Walker?"

"What do you mean?"

"Walker asked you if you were involved with Hilary and you started talking really fast. You only do that when you're lying. I've seen you do it before. You also blink really fast too. So why did you lie to Walker?"

"It wasn't so much that I lied, I omitted a few details."

"And what details would those be?"

Gage sighed. "After a couple weeks of her asking me out, I finally gave in and said yes. I picked her up at her place; we went to dinner and a movie. But I just didn't feel anything. I could almost tell that she wanted more, but it just wasn't going to happen."

"Uh huh, if that's all that happened, why would you lie about it?"

"I don't like people in my personal life. It's my life, who else needs to be involved?"

"Walker is our boss and he's trying to help us so we can go home. Don't you want to go home and get back to real life?"

"Real life? So what we're doing here isn't real? Is that it? I'm just the fling you need to get you through until you get home and get back to work?" Gage shot back, tears threatening to fall from those steely blue-gray eyes of his. Sydney stepped closer to him, taking his face in her hands and focused her chocolate brown eyes on his.

"Gage, how can you say that? What we share between us is more real than anything I have ever felt in my life. It took so long for me to see what was happening between us and where this was going but I like where it's going. I take safety in knowing that I'll go to sleep every night in your arms, your strong arms that can cradle and protect me from the outside world. I take comfort in knowing that I'll wake up every morning with you beside me, making me feel loved and special. I know that you'll be by my side every day, kicking butt and taking names. And I know that every night, you'll be making love to me, full of passion and fire. You might be many things Gage, but a fling is not one of them. At least not to me."

As Gage listened to her words, he knew she was right. He wanted nothing more out of life than being right there beside her, taking on the world like they did everything else. Together.

He put his hands on hers and eased them down his face to his shoulders. He then wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and drew her closer to him. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips against her. It was a soft and gentle kiss but was certainly more than a kiss between partners. It conveyed all the passion routed between the young lovers, grounding them to each other; mind, body and soul.

Sydney slowly removed her lips from him and looked deep into his eyes. She brushed off a tear with her thumb. "Does any of that answer your question?"

"I'm sorry that I said that. I should never have said you didn't take us seriously. I just don't want it to end when this is over and we go home."

"You can't get rid of me that easily. Besides, if Hilary is the one causing all this drama, I know I can take her. She doesn't scare me."

"What does?"

"What?"

"What does scare you?"

"Nothing as long as I'm with you."

"Glad to hear it."

"So are you going to tell me what happened between you and Hilary?"

"You really want to know?"

"Gage, I know people have pasts. Lord knows I've had my own fair share of mistakes in my past and if you wanted to know, I would tell you about each and every one of them. I don't want there to be secrets between us. You mean so much to me and I don't want anything to come between us. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine."

Gage finally released the breath he was holding and knew that if he was going to spend his life with Sydney, he could at least do as she asked him. Of course, he wasn't sure if it would keep her anchored to him or send her running for the hills.

"Like I said before, she had been asking me out for a while. I was doing a good job of saying no, but finally I gave in and said yes. I picked her up, she was real dressed up in some sort of deep green dress that made her eyes pop. Her hair was all done up with little bits hanging down in her face. She really was beautiful and I thought I should give it my best before just hightailing it home.

We went to this little Italian place near her place; she was the one who suggested it. She surprised me by speaking fluent Italian. After dinner, where we had polite conversation about ourselves, we went to a movie. I let her choose the movie and of course, she chose some chick flick. But as we were sitting there watching it, I figured out she picked it for a reason. She had already seen it because all she kept doing was trying to make out with me."

"You didn't want to kiss her?"

"Like I said, I really wasn't feeling the date to begin with. But yes, I kissed her a couple times. As soon as that movie was over, I got her back to her apartment as fast as I could. I told her that I had a lovely evening but I didn't think we should do it again. It wouldn't be professional for us to continue a relationship. I had thought she understood."

"If that's really all it was, then you need to tell Walker."

"I know, I'll call him back."

Sydney put her hand on his as he reached for the phone. "That can wait until after lunch."

"What did you make?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Sandwiches. But I think they can keep for a little while."

"Oh?" he asked, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"Yes, I need your help with something upstairs," Sydney replied, a twinkle in her eye.

"Well I'm always willing to lend a helping hand," Gage said with a sly smile. She took his hand and led him up the stairs to the bedroom. He turned and faced her.

"What can I help with?" he asked, holding in a breath.

"Well, first you can help me out of this shirt and then maybe you can help me out of these jeans. Finally, I need your help in bed," she finished saying, looking up at him with her own doe-eyed expression.

Gage reached his hands down to the bottom of her shirt, began lifting it over her head while he spoke. "I think I'm just the man to help you with all these things. First was your shirt, wasn't it? Okay, that's gone now," he said, dropping the shirt to the floor. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her gently on the bed. He brushed a kiss against her neck while he hand slid down her stomach towards the button on her jeans.

"I believe you said these were next," he said, unbuttoning her pants and sliding the zipper down. He slowly eased them down her luscious legs and slowly trailed his hand back up them, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

A fire started to spread within Sydney. She had never known that someone could invoke all these feelings and sensations within her. There weren't even words that she could form to express her intense desire to be with this man for the rest of her life.

Gage spoke again. "Okay, that's two things I've helped you with so far. What was that last thing?" he asked her, teasing her.

"I need you to help me in bed."

"What would you like me to do?"

Sydney brought her lips to his ear, kissing it softly before whispering in it. "Make love to me."

Gage grinned as he looked into her eyes. "Oh I can definitely help with that." He began to kiss her neck again. He felt her start to respond to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, fingers playing in his hair. She arched her back to him as he began his descent down her chest. He reached around, unclasped her bra and slid it off her body.

He bent his head down, teasing the underside of her breast with his finger while finding the hard nub to take gently between his teeth. He sucked and fondled her breast for a just a moment before switching to the other. Then a trail of kisses down her stomach before hooking his fingers inside her panties to slid them off her body.

She sat up and helped him out of his t-shirt. Once it joined the remaining clothes on the floor, she ran her fingers across his broad, tanned chest taking in all that was Gage. She had never seen a more perfect specimen of man. Her small but nimble hands went to his belt buckle and he slid out of the tight jeans. But she didn't stop there; his boxers were the next thing to go.

Gage rejoined her on the bed, her body rolled underneath his. He cradled her in his arms and kissed her again. By this time, she could feel his arousal as it pressed her and she ached to have it inside of her.

She brought her lips to his ear again and whispered, "Take me, Gage. Take me now."

He didn't need to hear anymore. He slipped himself inside of her and she hung on for the wild ride. He started slow and deliberate, wanting the feeling to last forever. Never did he feel more satisfied as he did when he was with her, inside of her.

He began to quicken his pace as Sydney began to shudder beneath his touch. The pressure was building and getting closer to that sweet relief. With one final thrust into her, their cries of pleasure were simultaneous. He fell against her, trying to catch his breath while bathed in sweat. Sydney just laid beneath him, still breathless.

"Gage, do you honestly believe after that that I could only consider you a fling?" she asked him.

"Sydney, I'm so sorry I ever said that to you. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"You didn't."

"Then forgive me for asking but…"

"What?"

"What brought on the sudden urge to make love in the middle of the day?"

"If we could spend the rest of our lives in bed together making love, I would do it with you in a heartbeat. Unfortunately that isn't going to happen, mainly because we both work but if we can have this small escape from the real world for just a little while; I want to indulge every minute of it with you. I want to be with you in every sense of the word. We're the Dynamic Duo of Company B and I want us to be the Dynamic Duo in life as well."

"I know what you mean. I have never felt more alive than I do when I'm with you. When you're by my side, I feel like I can do damn near anything. All I ever want to do is prove that to you."

"You prove it to me every day. You prove it to me by letting me know I no longer have to go through this world alone. When I was a little girl, my mom always told me that everyone in the world was searching for their other half, the person who would complete them. I have spent 33 years looking for that person, only to find that person had been by my side for the last 3 years."

"What exactly are you saying, Syd?" he asked, caressing her cheek with his fingers.

"I want to be with you, forever and beyond. I want to pledge my life to you, in every sense of the word. I want you to be my husband."

"You're saying you would really want to be married to me?"

"More than anything."

"You know, I always thought I was destined to be a bachelor. After losing our parents, I remember telling Julie that I never wanted to know what that kind of pain was like. I was destined to blow through life, keeping my heart guarded so that I would never know what it was like to love someone so much that I couldn't live without them. Mainly because when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. I would never want to put something through anything like Julie and I went through when we lost our parents. I'd almost given up hope of becoming a husband and father, but when I met you, everything changed. I could see it happening…"

"Gage, you're rambling."

"Sorry, I guess what I'm trying to say is I want you as my wife. I want you as the mother of my children. I want us to spend our lives together."

"I want that too."

"I know I don't have much to offer you right now, but I do have one thing I've always kept with me." He rolled off the bed, reached for his jeans and into his pocket. He withdrew his keychain and took something off it. He returned to the bed and looked at Sydney once again.

"My dad gave this to me just before he died. When he first met my mom, he knew with all this heart that he wanted to be with her. He actually gave this to her on their first date and asked her to marry him. He said he asked her to marry him on every date they went on until she finally said yes. Then when I was about five and Julie was seven, Dad had finally saved enough money to get her the ring she deserved. That's when Dad gave me this."

Gage held up a small metal ring with one of those cubic zirconia diamonds on it. It was very plain and very simple; clearly something one would get from one of those claw machines at the grocery store. But Sydney knew it meant a whole lot more to him.

"Gage what are you saying?"

"I'm asking you to marry me, Syd. I love you with all my heart and want to know you'll be with me every step of the way. I know it's not the ring you deserve and when we get back, I will get you something better…."

"Gage, this ring is more special than anything you could buy at the jewelry store, mainly because it holds a special memory for you because it was something special from your father. I will treasure this ring for the rest of my life."

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, my answer is yes. I want nothing more than to be your wife."

Gage slid the ring on her finger and kissed her hand before kissing her lips. Now he was sure that nothing could tear them apart.

Walker was sitting at his desk when Trivette came in the office. He held a paper in his hand and went straight to Walker.

"We got lucky. The lab was able to extract some DNA from the cigarette butt."

"How long until we have the results?"

"A couple days at most. When we get it back, do you want me to run it through the database?"

"I don't know what good it will do."

"What do you mean?" Trivette asked.

"I have a feeling it's not going to match anyone in the database."

"Cherokee instincts again?"

"Hear me out, Trivette. Hilary Wilson worked at Houston headquarters and she knew both Gage and Sydney. I just got off the phone with them a little while ago. Gage said he never really knew her that well, had coffee and lunch a couple times. Sydney said that she always got the brush off from her. Said it was almost like Hilary had her mind wrapped around something or someone else. Gage even told me that she asked him out a bunch of times."

"So what do you think?"

"It just makes me wonder if she had a hard time with his rejection."

"Why don't we ask her? Is she back from lunch?"

"She had lunch with Amy and ended up going home sick. Amy told me when I went up to talk to Briscoe."

"Okay, we can ask her tomorrow."

"Yeah, but something else is bothering me."

"What?"

"Gage seemed really distant on the phone. I think there might be more to his past with Hilary then he shared with me."

"Maybe he told Sydney. Those two are awful close; they do talk about a lot of things."

"Possibly. They are getting closer."

"How do you mean?"

"When we were at Gage's apartment this morning, I noticed a pile of clothes next to his couch."

"We all know Gage can be a slob," Trivette stated.

"Yeah, but some of Sydney's clothes were mixed with his."

"You don't think they're, you know?"

"I don't know and I don't want to speculate. One thing I know for sure, we need to get to the bottom of this fast. We need them back here."

After their round of lovemaking and proposals, Gage took a shower while Sydney went downstairs to get their lunch on the table. She heard the shower running and saw the phone Gage had left on the side table, next to the couch. She picked it up and dialed Walker's number.

"Walker."

"It's Sydney."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to tell you that Gage and I talked after he got off the phone with you."

"And?"

"You might want to take a look at Hilary Wilson."

"I figured as much. Why didn't he tell me?"

"Embarrassment, pride, could be just about anything."

"Okay, Sydney. I'll look into it. You guys stay safe."

"We will." Sydney hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen. She had just set the plates on the table when she heard the shower stop. She was about to head up the stairs and get Gage when she suddenly felt something heavy hit the back of her head and darkness took over.

Gage had gotten dressed and began downstairs to find his fiancé. Wow, one word had never felt so right. He couldn't wait to begin his life with his beautiful, petite, raven-haired beauty. He stopped before he reached the bottom of the stairs.

The front door was open and Sydney was nowhere to be found. His hand immediately went to his gun as he crept down the stairs. He began to search the room for any clue as to where she would've gone in such a hurry.

Suddenly he felt hands go over his eyes and he smiled to himself. He was about to turn and face the person who belonged to the hands when he felt a sharp prick in his neck. As he began to fall to the floor, he caught a glimpse of blonde hair and green eyes.

Sydney woke up, tied to a chair and sitting in the barn located on the edge of the safe house's property. Her hands were bound behind her and a rag was stuffed in her mouth. As she shook the fog from her head, she noticed a bed was setup in the corner of the barn.

 _Where is Gage?_ she thought to herself as she tried to get free. It was pointless as she was expertly bound to the chair. She heard rustling and the sliding door opened a bit as a figured dressed in black entered, dragging something behind them.

It took Sydney a moment to realize that the thing being dragged along the ground was her partner. The figured dragged him over to the bed and began to push him up onto it. Once he was in the middle of the bed, the figure secured his hands and feet to the bed posts. Clearly this person had this planned for a while. Sydney was shocked they hadn't heard any commotions from the barn.

The figure stood back to admire their handiwork before finally turning to face Sydney. Slowly, gloved hands reached up and pulled down the hood. Sydney tried to gasp as she saw who was standing before her.

"You really are stupid, aren't you Sydney?" Hilary Wilson said, standing before the petite ranger and smiling. "You just had to get in the way between me and Gage. Everything was fine until you came along. I had him right where I wanted him. I was going to be his wife and the mother of his children. But no, you had to come along and ruin everything. We were going to be happy until you showed up."

Hilary walked over to Sydney and drawing her hand back, slapped Sydney across the face. A small trickle of blood came from the corner of her mouth as she brought her eyes back up to meet Hilary's.

"Never in my life had I met a man like Francis Gage. Strong, caring and sexy; he is everything I've ever wanted. You can't make him happy like I can. You'll never mean as much to him as I do. The night we made love for the first time was absolutely perfect. He was so sweet to make sure all my needs were met. That's when I knew he and I were soulmates.

But then you come into the picture and ruined everything by taking him away for almost a year. If he hadn't gone on that assignment with you, we would've been married by years end. Then none of this would've happened. You could've gone on your way and he and I would be settling down in Dallas together. So now it's time for you to go and for us to get our happily ever after."

Hilary leaned down to Sydney's face. "But not before you get a ring side seat for the show," she added with a smile.

Sydney tried to scream out but the gag was preventing her. Knowing that the three of them we all alone at the safe house, Hilary removed the gag. Sydney launched a full verbal attack against her.

"Gage will never love you. He never did and never will. He told me what happened on the _only_ date you had been on and it didn't include lovemaking. He was never attracted to you and you will never own his heart. That belongs to me."

"Liar!" Hilary exclaimed, slapping Sydney again. "Gage loves me. I see it in his eyes every time I bring him coffee in the mornings. I know he feels the deep passion that burns inside me for him."

"The only thing he feels for you is NOTHING!"

"Well, he felt something once. The night we made love in my bed for hours."

"That never happened."

"Of course it did. After the wonderful dinner at the restaurant where he told me all about himself and that perfect movie where he did nothing but kiss me the whole time, he came back to my place and we made love until morning. He definitely made sure I was totally satisfied before he left my place. Then you showed up and ruined everything."

"You can't blame it on me that you can't get or keep a man."

"Oh I've got Gage now and I will show you how I'm going to keep him."

"By tying him to a bed? That's not going to keep him."

"It will keep him when we make love for hours. And you're going to see the whole thing. You're going to watch as he loves my body and my soul. You're going to see that you're not match compared to me and that I'm the one who holds his heart."

Hilary walked back over to the bed, where she had Gage tied up. She bent down to him to press her lips against his and slowly straddled his body. Sydney watched as she trailed kisses down his neck and back again to his lips.

Gage started to come to and when he tried to move his arms, he realized he couldn't. Something was preventing them from moving. For a brief moment, he thought it was Sydney sitting on top of him and when he finally opened his eyes, it wasn't her warm brown eyes he was staring into. No, these eyes were a deep dark green and he knew it wasn't Sydney's lips on his. He struggled a bit more and then heard her words.

"Don't fight me, darling. It's time we get back to where we should've been had it not been for Sydney. We need to bring out the passion we once had before she showed up."

"What are you talking about Hilary? We never had any passion."

"Of course we did, darling. The night we spent together was wonderful."

"We never spent a night together."

"Of course we did. That night we went to dinner and a movie."

"Hilary, I've never been with you."

"Yes you did. You made love to me all night."

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did. With a little help from my friend rohypnol."

"You drugged me?"

"It was the only way for us to be together, my love. It was such a wonderful night. I can't count how many times you satisfied me, making sure every orgasm was perfect."

"So the only way you could have Gage was to drug him?" Sydney spoke up from the corning. Hilary turned to look at her, daggers shooting from her eyes.

"I did what I had to do in order to have the man I love."

"He never would've touched you if you didn't drug him," Sydney said in the calm, cool voice she used when questioning dangerous criminals. She knew if she could get under Hilary's skin, Hilary would get off Gage. Maybe that would be enough so he could try to get free.

Sure enough, her plan worked because in a flash, Hilary was off Gage and the bed before heading in Sydney's direction. Hilary drew her fist back and took Sydney right in the gut. It knocked the wind out of her for a minute but she quickly regained her composure.

"Sure, take a cheap shot since I'm tied up. You know you couldn't beat me in a fair fight."

"You'll wish I had once I'm through with Gage."

Trivette came running in the office, waving a paper in his hand.

"Walker!"

"What is it Trivette? Why are you yelling?"

"I thought about what you said earlier. I remembered seeing Hilary spitting out her gum in a wad of paper and throwing it away, so I dug it out of the trashcan."

"You were playing in trash?"

"It was worth it. I took the gum down to Mary at the lab. I had her cross check the DNA from the cigarette against the gum. 100% match. Hilary was the one watching from across the way at Gage's apartment."

"Where does she live?"

Trivette went to his computer and pulled up her personnel file. "Over on Catacomb Dr."

"Let's go."

When they arrive at Hilary's apartment, they walked slowly to the door. Walker knocked and called for her.

"Hilary? It's Ranger Walker," he said as the door creaked open. Slowly, he and Trivette unholstered their weapons and entered the apartment. They went over every inch, finally coming to a closed door at the end of the hallway.

Creeping open the door, Walker and Trivette entered the room and both stood in shock. The room's walls were filled with photos of Gage, taken over the past few years. There were pictures of him alone at home, riding his motorcycle, of him at the office, with Sydney, with Walker, with Trivette. There were photos of him with Julie, photos of him at Walker's ranch, even photos of him holding baby Angela. But the one photo that caught their eyes was a sonogram in the middle of the wall.

Walker walked over and studied the photo. He stiffened and turned to face Trivette.

"We gotta get to the safe house. NOW!"

Hilary briefly considered finally having it out with Sydney. She was at least a good 3 or 4 inches taller than Sydney and she had been taking self-defense classes. But she knew that Sydney often sparred with Gage and she knew that Gage was great at teaching the martial arts. Finally she decided Sydney was fine where she was and turned her attentions back to Gage on the bed.

"We'll need to make this a quickie so I can hurry up and get rid of her. She's the only thing standing in our way, darling. Once she's gone, we can finally be together."

"Wait, I don't want to do it this way," Gage said, trying to buy some time. "If we are going to make love, I want to do it right. I want to be able to hold you, to feel you underneath me."

"Are you asking to be untied?"

"Yes, please."

"That's not going to happen, darling. If I untie you, you'll end up running back to the cheap whore."

"I promise I won't run from you. I realize now that you really do love me. You love me so much that you came to find me."

"Of course I did. I would do anything for you."

"How did you find me? Walker said he wasn't going to tell anyone where I was."

"But that's the great part of being his assistant. I had complete access to all his files and records. I just couldn't wait any longer to be back in your arms."

"Is that why you took the job with Walker?" he asked her.

"Once I found out he had asked you to come to Dallas, I knew it was our chance to be together again. I packed up everything of importance and came here. Sure, it took a while to figure out how I was going to get you back, but I made sure I kept my eye on you. I watched you with your colleagues, I watched you with Walker's beautiful little baby, I even watched you with _her_ ," she spat out, casting a glance in Sydney's direction. She turned back to look at Gage. "I never wanted to be away from you, my love. But I had to wait until the time was right."

"And now you have come to find me."

"Of course. I would've moved heaven and earth to find you. But in order for you to truly be mine, she has to go. I say we just kill her now and get it over with."

"How do you plan to kill her?" Gage asked, just trying to keep her talking. The longer she talked, the longer he had to come up with a plan.

"The easiest way would be to shoot her. I think we should even use your gun. It would be so poetic, don't you think?"

"Yes it would."

"Come to think of it, it would be even better if you pulled the trigger. To watch the life seep out of her body and know that the agony she has caused us will be gone. Then we can make sweet love and finally go home to be a family."

"If that's what you want me to do, I will. Just not in here. I don't want to ruin all the work you did in putting this together for us."

"Alright my dear. I will untie you but know that I also have a gun and if you force me to use it on you I will. Take her out behind the house and tie her to the big apple tree. Then just stand back and shoot. I will be watching and waiting for you, my love."

Hilary leaned over and untied Gage's hands. Then she reached down and untied his feet. Gage knew he couldn't react right now; she had that gun in her hand and kept it trained on him. He didn't know what kind of moves she might have or how quick she would be on that trigger.

"On your feet, my love."

Gage stood and walked over to where Sydney sat. He reached back to get the handcuffs from Hilary and placed them on Sydney's wrists.

 _I have a plan_ he mouthed to Sydney. She nodded slightly, hoping Hilary wouldn't notice that she had. Once she was cuffed, Gage untied the ropes and then tied one around her waist. Hillary handed him his gun and watched as he led Sydney out of the barn and towards the back field near the apple tree.

Once they were out of earshot, Gage whispered to Sydney. "When I fire this gun, drop to the ground like I hit you. My handcuff keys are in my pocket, I'm going to drop them on the ground next to you when I bend down to check that you're 'dead'."

"Keep her busy for about 10 minutes so I can get to my gun. I hope she didn't find it in the house."

"I'll do my best. I love you Shorty."

"I love you too Gage, please don't make a widow before we're even married."

They reached the tree and Gage tied the rope, pretty loosely, around the base of the tree. He knew he could shoot close enough to Sydney to make it look like she was shot but not actually hitting her. He walked back a few paces, turned to make sure Hilary was watching him. She blew a kiss at him and he waved. Then he turned back to Sydney. He took his aim and fired.

Sydney fell to the ground, probably with more force than she should have, but she wanted it to be convincing. As promised, Gage holstered his weapon and drove his hands in his pockets before walking over to her seemingly lifeless body. He bent down and pretended to feel for a pulse with his left hand while his right wiggled the keys out of his pocket. They fell to the ground, with his foot blocking the way. He took one last look at Sydney before standing and heading back to the barn.

"Walker, what did you see?" Trivette was asking as the senior rangers sped towards the safe house.

"Hilary Wilson was pregnant about 4 years ago."

"And?"

"Sydney had called me about an hour after I spoke to her and Gage. She basically confirmed my suspicions about Gage's past with Hilary. About the time she would've gotten pregnant is about the time she got obsessed with Gage, is my guess."

"Do you think Gage fathered her child?" Trivette asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see any baby stuff in her apartment and if she is obsessed with Gage, she could've found out where he and Sydney are by looking through the files on the computer. "

"So this kid would be how old now?"

"Around 3."

"Do you honestly think Gage could've fathered her child?" Trivette asked again.

"Anything is possible, Trivette." Walker didn't say another word as he pressed harder on the accelerator.

As Gage walked back towards the barn, he hoped he could keep Hilary busy until Sydney could get to her gun. He hated having to say those things to Hilary in front of Sydney, but he needed to gain Hilary's trust in order to set his plan in motion. He thought back to that first day when he invited Hilary for coffee. If only he had known then that the woman was truly nuts, he would've just kept his mouth shut.

Hilary smiled at him when he approached her. "Is it done, my love?"

"It's done."

"Finally, we can now be together. We can finally be husband and wife."

"Is that what you want?"

"You are all I've ever wanted. But before we get married, there's something we need to do first. Back on the bed, darling."

"Can I have just a minute please? I've never killed anyone before."

Hilary walked over to him and put her arms around his shoulders. "Of course, sweetheart. I know how hard this must be for you. But she needed to die. We couldn't let her interfere with our lives anymore."

"I just wish there had been another way. Did she really have to die?"

"She never would've left us alone. She would've tried coming after you and I couldn't let that happen. You'll see soon enough that everything I do is for you. I'm the only one who really thinks about you. Nobody has ever loved you the way I do."

"What else have you done for me?" Gage asked, trying to keep her talking.

"That's not important now darling. What is important is that now we can finally consummate our relationship." She pushed him over to the bed. Gage turned to face her.

"Just a minute, please."

"You've had enough time. Now are you going to lay down willingly or should I bring my friend in to help you relax?"

Gage swallowed deeply. He hoped that Sydney had gotten away by now. He didn't have any choice but to lay down on the bed. Hilary quickly tied his hands above his head again.

"What's that for?" Gage asked.

"You never objected to being tied up before. Now just relax and I will take you to heights of heaven you never knew possible."

Hilary stood slowly and began to remove her clothing. First she lifted her shirt over her head and exposed the top of her bustier. Gage swallowed deeply again. Next she removed her pants and revealed her long, toned legs with thigh high stockings.

As much as he tried to resist, Gage's body retaliated against him. His arousal began to rise and all he could do was hope and pray someone would get to him before she could have her way with him.

Sydney had laid on the ground until she was sure Gage and Hilary were gone. Carefully lifting open one eye, she peeked up and saw she was alone in the field. Quickly, she picked up the handcuff key and freed herself. She untied the rope and crept silently along the front side of the house towards the front door.

When she reached the door, she crept inside. She wasn't sure if they were in the house or still in the barn. Letting out a sigh of relief, she realized she was alone in the house. Hurrying up the stairs, she made it to the bedroom and retrieved her gun.

Coming back down the stairs, she heard footsteps in the living room. She froze for a moment and readied herself for a fight. Sydney slowly took the stairs one at a time and leapt into the living room.

"Texas Ranger! Freeze!"

Sydney came face to face with Walker's desert eagle.

"Walker?"

"Sydney? Where's Gage?" Walker asked.

"He must still be in the barn."

Trivette came in. "Everything okay Walker? Oh hey Sydney. Where's Gage?"

"Hilary must still have him out in the barn. Walker, she's the one who did this to me. She's totally obsessed with Gage."

"We know, we've been to her apartment. She has a room filled with his pictures," Trivette said.

"She told us she's been keeping her eye on him," Sydney replied.

"Did she say anything else?" Walker asked.

"Oh she had lots to say. The one date Gage had with her, she drugged him and took advantage of him when they got back to her apartment. Walker, she raped him."

"Does he remember any of it?" Trivette asked.

"No, when she was telling us what happened Gage looked truly surprised."

"How did you get away and why isn't she looking for you?" Walker asked.

"She told Gage to take me out to the apple tree in the backyard, tie me up and shoot me with his gun. Something about it being poetic. But we have to get out to the barn. Walker, she's a bedroom set up in there. I think she's going to…."

Walker didn't let Sydney finish. "Let's go!"

Gage was struggling with the ropes as Hilary began kissing his neck. He had to do something. He couldn't let this happen. Where on Earth was Sydney?

"Hilary, stop!"

"Don't fight me, Gage. I'm getting what I came for."

"I don't want to do this. Please don't force me."

"Then I guess I have to bring out my little friend."

Hilary withdrew from him and went to a bag, sitting in the corner of the barn. She bent down to grab something and Gage saw a flash of brown hair near the door. Sydney was here!

Hilary turned back around, syringe in her hand. "Don't worry lover, this won't hurt me a bit."

She took one step towards Gage and met with Sydney's foot in her back. Hilary dropped the syringe and turned to face the petite ranger.

"Filthy whore, still alive? Not for long," Hilary exclaimed as she lunged at Sydney. The two women rolled around on the floor for a few minutes before standing up. Sydney delivered a swift roundhouse kick to Hilary's chest and she fell to the ground. Another kick to the face and she spun around. Hilary looked up just in time to see Sydney draw her foot straight up and deliver a drop kick to her face. That was it, she was done.

Sydney ran to Gage who was now silently crying, his hands still tied above him. She cradled him in her arms and held him close. Releasing his hands, she pressed her body against him and whispered soothing words in his ear.

"I'm here Gage. She can't hurt you anymore. Don't cry Gage."

Walker and Trivette came running into the barn and saw the embrace between the junior rangers. Walker motioned to Trivette to follow him back outside and let them have a moment alone.

Gage looked up into Sydney's warm and soft brown eyes, his own filled with tears. She gently brushed the tears off his face with her thumbs and leaned in to softly press her lips against his. When she pulled back, she looked deep into his eyes.

"Did I get here in time?" she asked him.

"Just in time. She was going to get the drugs."

"Gage, I'm so happy that you're safe."

"I'm sorry for the things I had to say to her. I know how much that had to have hurt you."

"Gage, you did what you had to do. I'll admit, hearing you say those things to her stung a bit but if the situation were reversed, I would've said the same things. I told you before; nothing is ever going to come between us. I love you and as long as this is on my finger, I will always belong to you," Sydney said, holding up her left hand so he could still see the ring his father had given him sitting on her finger.

"I love you too Syd. I never want to be away from you again. I never want to even look at another woman ever again."

"That's good, because I don't share. You are mine," she said with a smile as she leaned down and kissed him again. It was only a quick kiss as Sydney knew their bosses were probably waiting outside.

"What's wrong?" Gage asked.

"Walker and Trivette are outside. They want to talk to us. Besides, we need to call DPD to come get Hilary. So come on Romeo, let's go face the music like we do everything else – together."

Hand in hand, Gage and Sydney emerged from the barn.

Sitting in the living room of the safe house, Walker looked at the junior rangers sitting very close together on the sofa. He knew something had happened between them while they were in the safe house, but right now there were some more pressing matters to discuss.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Walker asked.

"Gage was in the shower, I heard a noise. I went to look and was hit from behind. I woke up tied to the chair," Sydney said.

"I got done upstairs and came down to look for Syd. I saw the front door was open and as I was going to check, I felt something sharp in my neck. I saw her eyes as I lost consciousness," Gage added.

"I watched her drag Gage out to the barn and onto the bed. She tied him up and then turned to me, telling me it was all my fault that she wasn't with Gage. She got a couple hits in and then Gage came too."

"She told me that Syd had to die and that it would be poetic if I did it with my gun. I convinced her to let me do it outside and I was planning on running, but she stood watching me, her gun trained on me. I finally figured out some sort of plan."

"Gage told me to fall to the ground when he shot; he was going to miss on purpose. God, Walker, that bullet was so close; I could feel it blowing by my side. I dropped to the ground; he came over to "check" and dropped his handcuff key. When he went back to the barn, I freed myself. Went to the house and got my gun. That's when you showed up."

"What happened when you got back to the barn, Gage?" Trivette asked.

"She kept trying to get me on the bed. I told her I needed a moment; I'd never killed anyone before. I kept trying to stall long enough for Syd to get there. She finally pointed the gun at me and told me to lay down. She retied my hands and kept trying to "get what she came for" as she told me. I kept trying to fight her and she finally said she was going to get the drugs. Then I saw Syd," Gage replied.

"I tackled her and we fought and I kicked her ass. Then I went to free Gage. Then we came in here," Sydney finished.

Walker and Trivette just looked at the two junior rangers. An awfully lot had happened before they got there, that's for sure. Walker's expression softened a bit as he looked at Sydney and Gage.

"I'm sorry that this had to happen. Hilary hid her obsession from all of us and she hid it well."

"I'm just glad we got her before she had a chance to do anything," Sydney said, her hand holding tightly onto Gage's. Walker noticed it too.

"Trivette, why don't you take Sydney out to the truck and take down her official statement?" Walker asked, clearly wanting a moment alone with the blonde ranger. Trivette nodded and escorted Sydney outside. Gage looked up at Walker.

"We need to talk, Gage."

"I figured as much."

"Why did you lie?"

"I omitted a few details."

"Look, I know your personal life is just that – its personal. I'm glad this situation didn't turn out differently but your omission could've turned this into a deadly situation."

"I know Walker and I'm sorry."

"It's okay; just don't let it happen again."

"I won't Boss."

Walker cleared his throat. "There are a few other personal questions I need to ask."

Gage swallowed deeply. "Okay."

"When we were at your apartment, I noticed the pile of clothes next to the couch. They weren't all yours. Sydney's was there too."

Gage was still silent.

"Is there something going on that I should know?" Walker asked a soft and almost fatherly tone to his voice.

"I love her Walker. I've asked her to marry me and she said yes."

"Look, Gage, each sergeant is allowed to run their company the way they see fit. As long as it doesn't interfere with your job and professional relationship, then whatever you and Sydney choose to do in your personal lives is up to you."

Gage couldn't believe his ears. Walker was giving them his blessing. It was the greatest honor he could bestow upon the young rangers and for Gage, it felt like Walker was proud of him.

"At least it didn't take you seven years like it did me," Walker added with a chuckle.

"Nope, just three."

"The way you look at Sydney reminds me of how I look at Alex. We're not so different, you and I."

"Thanks Walker, that means a lot."

Walker smiled, but it quickly faded. "There is something else Gage."

"What is it Walker?"

"When we went to Hilary's apartment, she had a room filled with pictures of you."

"That makes sense. She said she had been watching me."

"There were photos of you with all of us; me, Alex, Trivette, Sydney and even Angela. She had been watching you for a while now. But there was something else."

"What was it?"

"There was a sonogram in the room."

"A sonogram?"

"Yeah, it was Hilary's. Her name was in the upper left hand corner. Dated a few months after the "date" you had with her. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah, it was dinner and a movie. She must've drugged me drink at the movie because she said things happened when we got back to her place."

"What did she say happened?"

"Just that apparently I made sure she was completely satisfied."

"I see," Walker looked away. Gage grabbed his arm.

"Walker, what are you saying?"

"We didn't find any baby stuff in her apartment."

"She told me she had packed everything of importance before she came here. Once we had consummated out relationship, we would be leaving to begin our lives as a family. Walker, did you find her car?" Gage asked in a panicked voice.

"No, we didn't."

"Walker, we need to find that car. I have to know. Please."

The two men stood and raced out of the house. Sydney and Trivette saw and followed close behind. They ran around to the back side of the barn and saw the old beat up Ford Taurus sitting there.

At first, nobody moved. They all stood there, watching the car. Sydney and Trivette had no idea what they were looking for but it had to be something important the way Walker and Gage had flew out of the house.

Gage was the first to take a step towards the car. He looked back at Sydney. She gazed into his eyes but they were unreadable. He just turned and kept walking. Reaching the car, he looked inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Nobody even moved as Gage crept towards the old car. He didn't know what he'd find inside nor was he so sure he wanted to know what was inside. One last glance to his friends and the woman he loved, he continued to make his way to the car.

One moment. It was one moment that would change everything. Walker knew that whatever Gage found in that car would change his life forever. All he could hope is that Gage could make it through but he knew he could do anything with Sydney by his side.

Sydney tried to make her way to Gage, but Walker held onto her arm.

"He needs to do this alone," Walker said.

"Do what? What's going on Walker?" Sydney cried as Trivette took a place beside her and grasped hold of her other hand. The two men wanted to give Gage the time he needed but it wasn't their place to tell Sydney. Gage would have to do it himself.

Gage reached the car and peered in through the window. Suddenly he dropped to his knees with tears streaming down his face. Sydney continued to struggle with Walker and Trivette's hold, wanting nothing more than to be next to the man she loved.

Gage slowly opened the car door and sitting in the backseat, in a child safety seat, was the most beautiful little blonde girl sound asleep and clutching a teddy bear. Gage longed to see her eyes, to see if they were the same shade of blue as his own. But he knew just looking at this sweet angel that she belonged to him. This was his daughter.

He slowly lifted her out of the car seat, she stirred but didn't wake. Clutching the little girl in his arms, he turned back to face his friends. Sydney finally worked her way out of her superior's grasp and ran to Gage's side.

"Gage, whose baby is this?" she asked him, not really sure she wanted to know the answer. Gage just looked into those big brown eyes of hers and sighed.

"Hilary's," he paused. "And mine."

Sydney turned away, not wanting to look at him, tears in her eyes. It broke her heart to hear that Gage fathered a child with someone other than her, but remembering what Hilary had told them in the barn about drugging him, she knew it wasn't his choice. Gage had told her that he wanted her to be the mother of his children, but this child wasn't something either of them had expected.

As they walked back to Walker and Trivette, Gage tried to put his arm around Sydney but she turned before he could. He was hoping that this revelation wouldn't tear them apart and that she could forgive him for what had happened.

Seeing Gage's face as she turned from him, Sydney could see the pain in his eyes. It wasn't his fault and she knew that. Suddenly Sydney was overcome with emotions; anger at Hilary, pity for Gage and compassion for the sweet little girl cradled in her partner's arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and Gage put an arm around her shoulders as they reached the senior rangers.

"EMTs are on the way," Trivette said.

"DPD is here. They're bringing Hilary out now," Walker said. The four of them turned to the barn as the uniformed officers brought out their prisoner. Hilary saw Gage with their daughter and cried out to him.

"Gage! Gage, please don't let them take me! Our daughter needs us! Gage, please don't let them take me!" Hilary cried, trying to wriggle free and get to him. Gage just turned from her, still holding on to the little girl sleeping in his arms.

EMTs arrived and Gage placed the sleeping girl on the stretcher. He looked at Sydney.

"Go with her. I'll follow with Walker and Trivette," Sydney said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Gage cupped her cheek, smiled and climbed into the back of the ambulance. Sydney followed Walker and Trivette back to the silver RAM.

The ride to the hospital was silent for a while. Nobody really knew what to say. All three rangers just stared out the windshield lost in their own thoughts. Walker knew the lives of his junior rangers were about to change dramatically. Sydney wondered what this would do for their relationship and subsequent engagement. Trivette wondered what he missed back at the safe house.

As he looked over to his colleagues, Trivette noticed the ring on Sydney's left hand. He grabbed her hand.

"Trivette! What are you doing?" Sydney asked.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked her.

Sydney took her hand back. "Depends. What do you think it is?"

"Did Gage propose to you?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Well, congratulations. About time he worked up the nerve," Trivette said with a smile.

Sydney turned to look at him. "You knew?"

"Sydney, everyone in the office knew. We were all wondering how long it would be for Gage to make his move," Trivette informed her. Sydney just looked stunned. Everyone that they worked with could see what had been happening between them but nobody said anything.

"Can we focus on something else right now?" Sydney asked, trying to deflect attention from her face, the redness growing fast.

Luckily, they didn't have time to approach another subject as Walker pulled into the parking lot of St. Mathews Hospital. They exited the truck and Sydney raced inside, Walker and Trivette at her heels. She skidded to a stop in front of the registration desk.

"I'm looking for Ranger Gage. He just came in with a little girl in an ambulance."

"Right this way, he told us you would be coming," the nurse said, getting up and leading them down the hallway. Gage was sitting in a waiting room, alone, when they got there. Seeing them round the corner, he stood. Sydney ran straight to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as his arms went around her shoulders.

"Where is she?" Sydney asked.

"Doctors are checking her out. They just took blood samples from us," Gage said. When Sydney looked up at him, he knew what she was asking. "Just double checking to make sure Hilary isn't crazy enough to lie about her being my child."

"When will you have the results?" she asked.

"A few hours. They want to keep her here until we get them, just make sure she's okay." Gage slid down into the seat behind him. Sydney sat next to him and took his hand. Walker and Trivette walked over to them.

"Did she say anything in the ambulance?" Walker asked.

"No. I think she was too scared. I would be too if I were her."

"What do you need us to do?" Trivette asked his buddy.

"I don't know. I don't know anything right now. I mean, what do I do if the test comes back positive? How am I supposed to be a dad? I don't know how to do that. I don't want to mess this kid up any more than her mother might have already done," Gage was starting to ramble, something he did when he got nervous. Walker sat down beside him and put an arm around Gage's shoulders.

"Gage, nobody knows how to raise kids until you just do it. You think Alex and I knew what to do when it came to raising Angela? I had no idea what I was doing and there are still times now that I don't know what to do. The only thing I can tell you is that parenting is a learning experience. And if you need anything, Alex and I are here for you."

"Thanks Walker. It means a lot to me," Gage said, reaching around to hug his boss.

"Erika and I are here too, if you guys need anything," Trivette added. "If you want, I can drop your stuff off at your apartment."

"Thanks Trivette," Gage said, standing to hug his friend. Trivette looked at Sydney.

"You want me to drop your stuff off there too?"

"Yeah, thanks Trivette," Sydney said, also giving him a hug before turning to give Walker a hug. The two senior rangers nodded and headed back to the parking lot, leaving Gage and Sydney alone to await the results.

"Tell me what you're thinking," Sydney said.

"I know nothing about her. If this comes back positive, how am I supposed to be her father if I know nothing about her? I don't even know her name," Gage said, covering his face with his hands. Sydney just leaned against him and began to stroke his hair. Neither ranger noticed the woman walking towards them, dressed in a no nonsense pantsuit.

"Ranger Cooke? Ranger Gage?"

They both looked up. "I'm Ranger Cooke, this is Ranger Gage. Can we help you?" Sydney asked.

"I'm Lorraine Stanton from DCS."

"What can we do for you?" Sydney asked.

"I'm here about the child you brought in."

"What about her?" Gage asked.

"I've spoken to Ranger Walker and he said that the mother has been arrested. Is that correct?" Lorraine asked.

"Yeah, she was arrested a few hours ago," Sydney said.

"May I ask the charges?" Lorraine asked.

"Assault, attempted murder of a peace officer, attempted rape of a peace officer and possession of an illegal substance," Sydney said.

"So if she's convicted, she'll be going to prison for a while then, correct?"

"Yes, for a very long time. What is this about?" Gage asked.

"With the child's mother going to prison, we will need to try and locate a family member to take the child. If we can't find a suitable family member, the child will have to be placed in a foster care group home."

"No," Gage stated firmly.

"Ranger Gage, I understand this is rather rough news, but…."

"I said no. I will be taking custody of her," Gage said.

"Ranger Gage, we have to look for a suitable family member to take her."

"I'm her father, is that suitable enough for you?" Gage asked.

"You're her father?" Lorraine asked, stunned at the revelation.

"Just waiting for confirmation from the doctor, but according to Hilary, she's my daughter."

"Well this changes things. Pending the test results and the outcome of Ms. Wilson's trial, custody could be granted to you. However, if you wish to assume custody now, we will have to get an emergency injunction from a judge allowing you to take her, pending the test results," Lorraine said.

"We should have the results soon," Gage replied.

"I'll stick around until you get them. Once they come back, if she is proven to be your daughter, I can begin the paperwork for the injunction. Might take a few days to get it on the docket though and if that's the case, I will have to take the child with me until it's granted."

"Hold on," Sydney said. She pulled out her cell phone and excused herself. She dialed Alex's number.

"Alex Cahill-Walker."

"Alex, its Sydney. I need a huge favor."

"Sydney, are you and Gage okay? I just heard from Walker. Is it true that Gage has a daughter with Hilary Wilson?"

"We're just waiting on the test results now but it looks like it."

"How is Gage handling things?" Alex asked.

"Not well. Right now there is a woman from DCS telling us that until they can get an injunction from a judge, the child has to go into a foster care group home. Alex, we can't let this happen. That will kill Gage."

"He needs an injunction?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, that's what I need your help with," Sydney replied.

"Say no more. Give me 20 minutes," Alex said as she hung up the phone. Sydney walked back over to Gage and Ms. Stanton.

"Ranger Gage, I understand you're frustrated about the situation," Lorraine said.

"You don't understand anything. No child of mine is going into foster care," Gage snapped back.

"Gage?" Sydney called out to him.

"What is it Syd?"

"I've called Alex. Let's just wait until we hear from her. Come sit down," Sydney said, pulling back gently on his arm to get him to sit. He did, reluctantly, and they waited for the doctor.

Alex hung up with Sydney and immediately called a close friend of hers, Judge Alan Steinman. Judge Steinman was a big child rights advocate and she knew if anyone could help Gage, it would be him. He answered on the second ring.

"Judge Steinman."

"Good afternoon Judge Steinman, this is Alex Cahill-Walker.

"Oh hello Mrs. Walker. How is your husband, Ranger Walker?"

"He's doing well."

"That's great. And how is the beautiful little girl of yours?"

"She's doing very well. Almost a year old now."

"That's wonderful. But Alex, I know you probably didn't call just to chat. What can I do for you?"

"I'm actually looking for a favor."

"What kind of favor?" he asked.

"One of the rangers that works for my husband, Ranger Francis Gage, has recently discovered he has a daughter."

"How wonderful for the Ranger Gage. I still don't see how I can be of service."

"It's a rather long story but currently Ranger Gage is at the hospital waiting for DNA confirmation on his daughter and there is a social worker there who is trying to place the child in foster care until an injunction can be granted to allow Ranger Gage to take custody."

"And you want me to grant the injunction allowing Ranger Gage to take custody?"

"Your Honor, if you knew all the details, you would understand why this is a sore subject for Ranger Gage. I'd rather not break his confidences if that's alright with you."

"Alex, how long have we known each other?" Judge Steinman asked.

"Going on 10 years."

"Exactly. Never in those 10 years have you ever brought something to my court that proved false or was untrue. I will want to speak to Ranger Gage personally, but I will grant your injunction."

"Thank you, Judge Steinman."

"Give my best to Ranger Walker and the baby. I'll have the paperwork faxed over to your office ASAP."

"Thanks again."

As Alex hung up the phone, she smiled to herself. Gage was a father and with any luck he and Sydney would open up to each other soon. She had hoped her friends would end up together; they were clearly made for each other. Sighing to herself, she picked the phone back up to call Sydney.

Sydney's phone rang and it jumped both junior rangers. Sydney quickly checked the display and her heart jumped a bit when she saw Alex's name appear. She hurried down the hall a ways and opened the phone.

"Alex?"

"Hi Sydney. Tell Gage I got the injunction. I'm on my way over to the office to collect the paperwork and then I'll be bringing it by the hospital."

"Oh Alex, you are a lifesaver! Gage will be so happy. We owe you bigtime!"

"How about after he gets her settled, you guys bring that little girl over to the ranch and we'll call it even."

"Sounds like a deal. Thanks again Alex."

"You're welcome Sydney."

Sydney hung up the phone and raced back down the hall to find her partner.

Gage was still waiting for the doctor and fuming more by the minute. How dare someone try to tell him they understood the pain he had gone through as a child, the pain his sister had to endure. Nobody could ever understand what Julie and Gage had gone through and he'd be damned if he let it happen to his daughter.

Sydney skidded to stop in front of Gage. He looked up at her and saw the huge grin that overtook her face.

"What is it, Syd?"

"Alex got the injunction."

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, tears starting to fill his eyes.

"Nope. She said she'll be here in about 20 minutes, she just has to go get it from the courthouse and then when the results come back, we can take her home."

"At least that's one load off my mind," Gage said as she sighed and leaned against the wall. Sydney placed a hand on his arm and gave him a light squeeze.

"What else is bugging you Gage?" she asked.

"I don't know how to do this."

"Do what?"

"Be a dad. What am I supposed to do if she skins her knee? What am I supposed to do if she has a bad dream at night? What am I supposed to do when she starts school? What about when she starts dating boys?" Gage asked as he shuddered at the thought. "I don't want her to start dating boys. She could find a boy like I used to be."

"You mean when Marilyn's father chased you around with the shot gun?" Sydney asked.

Gage chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."

"Everything will be fine. You can handle skinned knees and nightmares. The other stuff, we can get to that later. But no matter what happens, I will be right there by your side. I will be with you every step of the way and as long as you want my help, I will help you take care of her."

"You mean you're not rethinking this relationship?" Gage asked quietly.

"Why would I? Are you rethinking things?" she asked, praying he would say no.

"Never. I always want you, Syd. I've always wanted you." Gage leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Sydney kissed him back and then rested her head on his shoulder. He rested his head on hers and they just took a moment.

The doctor came out and headed straight for Gage. "Ranger Gage?"

Gage stood. "That's me."

"I'm Dr. Evans. I have the results of the DNA test."

"And?" Sydney asked, standing next to Gage.

"Congratulations, it's a girl."

"Can we see her?" Gage asked.

"Of course, right this way." The doctor led them down the hall and stopped in front of the door. He smiled at them and walked away. Gage stared at the door and began to run his hands down the front of his jeans in a nervous fashion.

"Gage?"

"I can't go in there."

"You have to, that's your daughter in there."

"I can't go in there, not just yet."

"Do you want me to go in and talk to her?"

"Would you?"

"Of course, anything for you. Be right back," Sydney said as she smiled and slowly opened the door.

Sitting on the bed, still clutching that teddy bear, sat Gage's daughter. She looked scared and Sydney hoped she wouldn't shut down before she could talk to her. So she smiled brightly and sat on the chair next to the bed.

"Hi," Sydney said.

"Hi," came the tiny whisper from the little girl.

"My name is Sydney. Can you tell me your name?"

"My mommy says I'm no apposed to talk to strangers."

"Well, I think it will be okay. I'm a Texas Ranger."

The little girl's eyes lit up. "My daddy is a Texas Ranger."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. Mommy says he's doing somefing important and he will be coming home soon. I hope so cause I miss my daddy."

"What does your daddy look like?" Sydney asked.

"Like me silly! He has yellow hair and blue eyes, just like me."

"And do you know your daddy's name?"

"Uh-huh. His name is Francis, but Mommy says he doesn't like to be called that."

"And do you know your daddy's last name?"

"Duh, it's the same as mine, Gage."

"You are a smart little cookie, aren't ya?" Sydney said with a soft smile.

"Do you know my daddy?"

"Yes I do. I work with your daddy."

"Is my daddy here?"

"Sure is."

"Where?"

"I'll go get him. You sit tight." Sydney stood and went to the door. She turned back to look at the little girl. Hilary had obviously filled her head with information about Gage and what he looked like in hopes of getting him back. Sydney slipped out the door.

She found Gage still standing there, breathing heavy as he tried to calm his nerves. He didn't even notice Sydney for the first couple of minutes and just kept focusing on his breathing. He tried to remember the techniques Walker had taught him, but they just weren't working. He finally looked in Sydney's direction.

"Syd!"

"You seem a little jumpy."

"Did you talk to her? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She's a smart little one, Gage. You should be very proud."

"What did she say? Did she tell you her name?"

"No but she told me yours. Told me all about her big brave Texas Ranger daddy."

The words sunk into Gage like a bullet. "Daddy. I guess that's my new name."

"Yeah, it is. She wants to see you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Come on."

"Wait," he said. "What else did she say?"

"Well at first she didn't want to talk because her mommy told her not to talk to strangers. But when I told her I was a ranger, her face lit up. She started telling me how her daddy was a ranger and how he has yellow hair and blue eyes. She also told me his name is Francis," she added with a chuckle. "And that his last name is Gage, same as hers."

"So Hilary gave her my name."

"Yeah, one less thing to worry about."

"Yeah."

"Now come on and don't keep her waiting." Together they pushed open the door and entered the room.

Alex had just stopped by the courthouse and picked the paperwork. She doubled checked everything just to make sure it was what Gage would need. She hadn't heard back about the test results but she wanted to have it just in case. So with a happy sigh of relief, Alex headed for the hospital.

When Gage walked into the room, he stood for a minute watching his daughter. He might not get used to say that, but for now, he pushed on. As he walked over to the chair Sydney had sat in before, the little girl looked at him. Her face grew into a huge grin as she saw him.

"Daddy!"

That was all it took. He wrapped his arms around the tiny girl and held her tight. He didn't bother to stop his tears from falling as her little arms went around his neck. He just held her close and embraced the moment he truly became a dad.

After a few minutes, he unwound his arms and stared at her face. Tears still trickled down his face and he felt her little hand come up to wipe them away.

"Why are you crying Daddy?"

"I'm just very happy."

"Cause you're home now Daddy?"

"Yes, honey."

"Can we go home now Daddy?"

"In a little bit. But I hear you met my friend," Gage said, holding his hand out towards Sydney. She took his hand and stood next to him.

"Her name is Sydney. She's pretty Daddy."

Sydney blushed a little bit. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Did you tell Sydney your name?" Gage asked.

"No," said the little girl.

"Well, I'd love to know your name," Sydney said.

"It's Andrea. People just call me Andie."

"Well it's nice to formally meet you, Andie," Sydney said, holding out her hand. Andie took Sydney's hand and gave it a brief shake.

"Hehe, you talk funny Sydney."

"It's from spending too much time with your daddy," Sydney said with a chuckle.

"When can we go home Daddy? Is Mommy going to be there?" Andie asked.

"We'll go home soon, honey."

"Is Mommy going to be there?" Andie asked again. Gage looked at Sydney for help.

"You know what, Andie, your daddy and I will go check to see where your mommy is, okay?" Sydney said.

"Okay Sydney."

A nurse walked in and smiled at Gage and Sydney. "If you'd like I can sit with her until you get back."

"Thank you," Gage said and they stepped outside. Alex came walking up to them.

"Gage, Sydney, I have been looking everywhere for you guys. I got the paperwork. Have you gotten the test results yet?" she asked brightly.

"We got them about half an hour ago. She's Gage's daughter," Sydney said.

"Great. All we have to do is fill out her name and submit the paperwork to DCS."

"Her name is Andrea Gage," Gage said quietly.

"Is the social worker still here? I can give her the paperwork if she is," Alex offered.

"I think so. Come with me Alex. Gage, we'll be right back," Sydney said practically dragging the blonde ADA down the hall. They turned the corner and saw Lorraine Stanton getting ready to get on the elevator.

"Ms. Stanton!" Sydney called and Lorraine turned around.

"Oh, Ranger Cooke, did Ranger Gage get the DNA test results back?"

"Yes, he did. She is his daughter."

"Wonderful. Of course we still have to get a judge to grant an injunction before Ranger Gage may take her."

"I have the injunction right here," Alex spoke up.

"Ms. Stanton, this is Alex Cahill-Walker, assistant DA of Tarrant County. Alex, this is Lorraine Stanton of Dallas Children's Services," Sydney said, making introductions.

"May I see the paperwork, Mrs. Walker?" Lorraine asked.

"Of course. All we have to do is fill in her name and Ranger Gage will be able to take his daughter home," Alex said.

Lorraine looked over the papers and nodded. "Everything seems to be in order. Has she told anyone her name yet?"

"Her name is Andrea Gage," Sydney said.

"I will get this in her file."

"Ms. Stanton, I actually had a question for you," Sydney said.

"Yes?" Lorraine asked.

"Andrea is asking where her mother is. What should we tell her?" Sydney asked.

"Until the trial is over, which I assume your office will be prosecuting Mrs. Walker," Lorraine started and Alex nodded. "I would simply tell her that her mother is on a trip. Once the trial is over and Ms. Wilson has been sentenced, I would recommend counseling for Andrea. Let me give you my card to pass along to Ranger Gage. I've also included my home phone and cell phone numbers on the back, should he need to reach me anytime."

"Thank you, I'm sure if we need you then we'll call you," Sydney said with ice in her voice. Lorraine just looked at the petite ranger and turned to get on the elevator. Alex turned to look at Sydney.

"Was she doing what I think she was?" Alex asked.

"Trying to flirt with Gage? Yes."

"I thought so with how coldly you answered her."

"Let her think whatever she wants, it's not going to work."

"And why is that Sydney?" Alex asked.

Sydney casually raised her left hand to her cheek and looked at Alex. "I have no idea," she replied as Alex stared at the ring on her finger.

"Is that what I think it is?" Alex asked.

"What do you think it is?" Sydney countered.

"Sydney Cooke, did Gage propose to you?"

"Yes. He asked me this morning at the safe house."

"And it's safe to say that you told him yes."

"Of course I did. I love him Alex."

"I was wondering when he was going to make his move. When did he find time to get a ring?"

"He's had it all along." When Alex looked at Sydney with a shocked expression, Sydney continued. "This was the ring his father had given his mother when they got engaged. After he could afford to buy her a better one, he gave this ring to Gage and told him to give it to the woman he loved. So he gave it to me."

"That's so sweet."

"Yeah, he says he wants to get me a better one but I told him I love this one. It holds a special meaning for him because it was from his dad. I couldn't imagine anything more valuable that he might be able to find at a store."

"So when's the wedding?"

"No idea, we should probably deal with the Andrea thing first."

"You don't seem upset that Gage slept with another woman," Alex noted.

"I was at first. But then when Hilary told us that she had to drug him in order to get him in bed, I knew he never would have otherwise. She raped him Alex and she was going to do it again at the safe house if Gage hadn't acted so quickly."

"Sydney, I looked over the charges Walker brought to my office. The rape charge isn't on there."

"Gage didn't want it to be. He didn't want to let the world know that it had happened to him. He probably thinks people with think he's less of a man if they knew. The only ones who know the truth are us, Gage, Walker and Trivette. Hilary doesn't even think she did anything wrong by drugging him to get him in bed."

"Sydney, I want to talk to Gage. I want to prosecute her for the rape. We can ask for a closed trial."

"I don't know if he'll go for that, but you can talk to him. Right now, I think we should get Andrea home."

"Of course. If you or Gage need anything, Walker and I are only a phone call away. And please feel free to bring Andrea by the ranch whenever. Maybe you guys could all go on a trail ride or something."

"Thanks Alex. We'll call you." Sydney hugged her friend and watched as Alex got on the elevator. Then she walked back to Andrea's room, where Gage was waiting outside. He looked up when he saw her.

"Did Alex get the paperwork turned in?" he asked.

"Yes. Ms. Stanton also gave you her card, complete with home and cell phone numbers on the back. She wanted to be 'reachable' day or night for your needs," Sydney said with a twinge of jealously in her tone. Gage noticed and took her hand.

"I have everything I need right here," he said, slipping his arms around Sydney's waist. He looked down into her warm chocolaty eyes and kissed her lips softly. Sydney kissed him back and smiled at him.

"Let's take Andrea home," Sydney said, slipping her hand into his. Together they opened the door and started their new life, the three of them.

After getting discharged from the hospital, Gage put Andrea in the child safety seat in the back of his Chevelle. Walker and Trivette had offered to bring his car and the seat to the hospital for them. As he buckled her in, he couldn't help but beam with pride. He was a father now and didn't want to disappoint his daughter.

Andrea had seemed to believe them when Gage and Sydney told her that Hilary had gone on a trip and she was going to stay with Gage. They still hadn't figured out how to tell her that Gage wasn't getting back with Hilary and that he and Sydney were getting married. The little girl had been through enough for one day, everything else could wait.

They pulled up in front of his apartment after a quick trip to the local Walmart, where they raided the kids department. They got Andrea a bunch of clothes, toys, potty training pants and a few other essentials. Gage had to call Alex to find out what kinds of things he should get for her. Andrea was asleep when they pulled up and Gage took her carefully out of the seat before handing her to Sydney. Gage then grabbed the bags from the trunk of the car and they went upstairs.

Once inside the apartment, Sydney laid Andrea down on Gage's bed, pulling a light cover over her. She bent over and softly kissed her forehead before turning to leave. She carefully closed the door and went to find Gage. She found the front door opened and Gage sitting on the steps, beer in his hand. Sydney sat down next to him.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"This is gonna take some time getting used to."

"I know. Everything still feels so surreal."

"But she's here. That's what matters," Gage said, taking a swig off his beer.

"Might want to get those out of the house," Sydney said, sneaking the beer out of his hand and taking a drink.

"Why?"

"Probably shouldn't have beer around a kid," she said with a chuckle.

"Another thing to make a note of, I suppose."

"Come on, we need to get her bed put together so she has somewhere to sleep tonight."

"Where are we going to put her bed?" Gage asked as they stood up. He slid his arm around Sydney as they walked back inside and he shut the door.

"I guess in the living room, where else is she going to sleep?"

"I don't know. Gonna have to look for a bigger place now. I finally got used to this place."

"Maybe they have a larger apartment in the building. You should ask your landlord."

"Maybe, but it might be nice to have a house. Something modest with a yard that she can play in. Besides, my building doesn't allow pets and I'd love to get her a puppy."

"A house would be nice. Something for the two of you."

"You mean the three of us, unless you're planning on giving me the ring back," Gage said as he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"I just wanted to make sure you still wanted me," Sydney said, gazing lovingly at him.

"I always want you. I've always wanted you and I can't wait to prove it to you," he whispered as he brought his lips to her neck. Sydney melted into him, molding her body to fit his. He brought his lips to her collarbone and began to leave a trail of kisses until he reached the soft spot behind her ear. She let out a breathy moan and they fell onto the couch.

Gage's hand started sliding up underneath Sydney's shirt, towards her breasts. She arched her back into him and for a moment, she got lost in his sizzling touches. She wanted nothing more than give in to his wandering hands and mouth when they heard a voice.

"Daddy!"

Gage reluctantly pulled his head up and his hand stilled on Sydney's breast. Sydney looked at the look on his face and couldn't help but laugh. He looked like a kid whose ice cream cone just fell on the ground.

"Boy she has perfect timing doesn't she?" he asked.

"Welcome to parenthood. You go see what she wants and I'll start putting her bed together. Then I will start dinner."

"Okay." Gage started down the hall towards his bedroom and Sydney went to the door where they had left the box containing the toddler bed he bought for Andrea. It was pretty simple to put together and Sydney had it assembled in about 10 minutes. She was just finishing up with getting the sheets on it and moving it over by the bookcase near the window when Gage reappeared with Andrea in his arms.

"Someone is hungry," he said.

"Her or you?" Sydney teased.

"Oh you're so funny," Gage said with a hint of sarcasm. He set Andrea down on the floor and she walked over to the couch. She sat down and looked around the room. Gage noticed what she was doing and sat next to her.

"Something wrong, sweetie?" he asked.

"There's no pictures of Mommy. How come?" her little blue eyes turned towards her father.

"I don't have pictures of Mommy."

"Mommy has pictures of you."

"I'm sure she does."

"Would it make you feel better if we got you a picture of your mommy?" Sydney asked.

"Yes please."

"Then your daddy and I will get you one," Sydney said with a smile. "Now what would you like for dinner?"

"I like hot dogs and macaroni and cheese."

"Sounds delicious. I vote for that," Gage said.

"Okay, Gage, do you actually have food in the house?" Sydney asked, knowing the answer was probably no.

"Well, no."

"Then I guess someone has to go to the market."

"Can we all go please, Daddy?" Andrea asked.

"Okay. Can you get your shoes on or do you need help?"

"I got it." Andrea sat down on the floor near the door and started to put her shoes on. She stood up when she had them on. "Ready Daddy."

"Okay, let's go then," Gage said as he slipped an arm around Sydney. Andrea looked at them, a horrified expression crossing her face.

"Something wrong Andie?" Sydney asked.

"Are you okay?" Gage asked.

"Daddy, you're not apposed to do that."

"Do what?" he asked.

"Put your arm around Sydney. That's just for Mommy."

"It's okay, Andie," Sydney said trying to console the little girl.

"No it's not! Daddy is only apposed to touch Mommy like that. That's why they are married."

"Whoa, hold on just a minute. Andie, come here please," Gage said as he sat on the couch. Andrea reluctantly walked to her father.

"Who told you that your mommy and I are married?" he asked.

"Mommy did and she said when you were done, you would come home."

"Did your mommy tell you anything else?" he asked.

"Uh-huh."

"What did she tell you?" Sydney asked.

"Lots of things. Can I ask you somfing, Daddy?" Andrea asked.

"What honey?"

"Are you feeling better now?"

"I feel fine, why?"

"Mommy said you got a dirty whore. What is that Daddy?"

"Something your mother should never have said in front of you," Gage said, feeling his blood boiling. It was one thing to insult Sydney to her face; it was another to say it in front of Gage's daughter. Clearly, Gage and Sydney would have their work cut out for them.

"Oh. Am I in trouble Daddy?" Andrea asked.

"No sweetie. But we do have something to tell you. Come here Syd," Gage said, holding out his hand. Sydney walked over and sat next to him, slipping her hand in his. She knew what he was about to tell Andrea.

"Why did you call her Syd? Her name is Sydney," Andrea stated.

"You know how people call you Andie? That's called a nickname and Syd is a nickname for Sydney. A lot of our friends call her Syd."

"What do I call her?"

"You can call me Sydney or Syd. Whatever is more comfortable for you," Sydney said with a smile.

"Okay. I like Syd."

"Me too," Gage said, as he smiled. He then turned his attention back to Andrea. "We need to tell you something."

"What is it Daddy?"

"Sydney and I are getting married. I'm not married to you mommy and I never will be. Syd is going to be my wife," Gage said. He studied his daughter to see how she would react to the news.

Andrea was very quiet. She didn't quite understand what her father had said to her. All her life, her mother had told her that when Gage was done with his 'assignment', he would come home to them. Then she finally met her father only to be told her mother was 'on vacation'. Then there was Sydney. Andrea didn't really know what to think about her yet. Sure, she liked Sydney because she was nice and she seemed to be a good friend of her father's. But now they told her that they were getting married.

Andrea didn't quite understand what marriage was; just that her mother told her marriage was what happened between two people who were in love. Her mother had constantly told her how much she loved her father. So does that mean that her father doesn't love her mother? He loves Sydney instead?

"Andie, are you okay?" Gage asked.

"Do you love Syd, Daddy?" she asked.

"Very much."

"And I love your daddy very much too," Sydney added.

"Do you love Mommy?" Andrea asked her father.

"I will always be grateful to your mother because of you. But no, I don't love your mother."

"How come Daddy?" Andrea asked, looking into the deep blue-gray eyes that mirrored her own.

"It's a long story honey, and I will tell you when you're older. Now, how about we get to the store so we can get back for dinner?" Gage asked, standing up.

"Always thinking about food, huh Gage?" Sydney teased him.

They both laughed as the three of them headed out the door and to the car.

Alex and Walker had just finished their dinner and bathed Angela before putting her to bed. Settling in his easy chair, Walker opened the newspaper while Alex sat on the sofa with a good book. Evenings at Walker ranch were typically quiet but tonight was different. Alex had something on her mind tonight and Walker was going to hear about it.

She cleared her throat and Walker looked up.

"Yes Alex?"

"Doesn't it bother you that Hilary did what she did to Gage but she's not getting punished for it?"

"Of course it does but it's not my place to speculate. Gage doesn't want to approach the subject and I can't force him."

"But we shouldn't just let it lay, Walker. She deserves to be punished."

"And she will for all the other charges. I know you will go for the max."

"You bet your bottom dollar, Cowboy, and with the max sentences combined, she's looking at a life sentence."

"Gage will be glad to hear that. Now he can focus on his daughter."

"I still can't believe that Gage has a daughter. It's so surreal."

"I know. But he can make it through this, especially with Sydney by his side."

"Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me they were engaged?" Alex asked her husband.

"It wasn't my place. Which one told you?" he asked.

"Sydney told me when I dropped off the injunction at the hospital."

"What's the injunction for?"

"So that Gage could take custody."

"It's certainly going to take some getting used to that Gage is a father now."

"I know I still find it strange."

They sat in silence for a moment before Alex continued.

"I told Sydney that she and Gage were welcome to bring Andrea by anytime. I think she'd like the ranch."

"I think you're right."

"It will also give them some time to get to know each other."

"Speaking of which, I called Gage a little while ago, left him a message. I've arranged with Briscoe to let him have some personal time to get things in order."

"I already talked to Josie at the H.O.P.E. center and she's reserved a spot for Andrea in the daycare program."

"That should be a welcomed weight of his mind."

"You know, when Gage and Sydney get married, they're gonna need a bigger place," Alex said as she looked out the window at the sweeping pasture.

"They're probably gonna need a bigger place now. Gage only lives in a one bedroom apartment and now with Andrea moving in, she's gonna need her own room. I also assume that Sydney will be moving in too, after all her apartment is still considered a crime scene."

"So I had a thought," Alex began. Walker closed the newspaper and turned to look at his wife.

"Yes, Alex?"

"What if we offered a piece of land to Gage and Sydney? Something modest, maybe a couple acres and we could help them build them dream home. Maybe it could be our wedding present to them."

"That's a great idea Alex. You know that Gage has always loved the southwest corner of the property, near the creek bed. That would be a great place to raise a family."

"Yes it would. Do you really think it's a good idea?" Alex asked.

"I do. Perhaps we could have them over for dinner tomorrow night and approach it to them then."

"Sounds great."

"Good. I'll call Gage in the morning. Okay honey," Walker said as he reopened the newspaper. Alex went back to her book and they simple enjoyed each other's presence.

After a trip to the grocery store, trying to cater to everyone's eating habits (healthy meal types for Sydney, quick kid stuff for Andrea and frozen type dinners for Gage's man-sized appetite), the three of them headed home. Sydney held Andrea's hand going up the stairs while Gage brought in the groceries.

Once inside the apartment, he set all the bags on the table while Sydney went into the kitchen. She was going to make dinner while Gage took care of the groceries. Andrea wandered into the living room to find her new toys that Gage and Sydney had bought for her. It was so strange how comfortable they all felt in just a short amount of time. It was like Andrea had always been a part of their lives.

After they ate dinner, Sydney helped Andrea with her bath while Gage took care of the dishes. He had practically insisted that Sydney help her. He was taking this dad thing in stride but he still wasn't used to the idea of helping his daughter with her bath.

Gage hears laughing coming from down the hall and went to go check it out. He paused in the doorway of the bathroom with a huge grin on his face. Sydney and Andrea were in the bathroom, both soaking wet. It was hard to tell who was actually taking the bath, even though Andrea was clearly in the tub. Gage couldn't help but think how nice this was, that Sydney was going up and above the call to help care for his daughter. He knew she would be a terrific mother someday and he couldn't wait to start a family with her.

"So who's taking the bath in here?" he asked from the doorway.

Sydney turned and laughed. "Andie is but maybe we both should've been."

"Okay, well it's time to get out and get ready for bed. We're going to have a lot to do tomorrow and I think it's just gonna be me and you, Andie."

"Where's Syd going?" Andrea asked.

"I imagine she will be going to work tomorrow."

"What about you?" Sydney asked.

"Walker gave me some time off to get things figured out."

"Well, maybe I can take some time off too, be here to help you."

"I can't ask you to do that, Syd."

"I want to."

"Am I getting out now?" Andrea asked, interrupting the conversation.

"Yes you are. Your daddy is going to find you some pajamas while I get you dried off. Now scoot," Sydney said to Gage. He went back to the living room and started to dig through the bags of clothes. Sydney got Andrea out of the tub and wrapped in a towel. She dried her off and then brushed her hair out before expertly French braiding her hair. Gage came back with some PJs.

"Here you go," he said, handing them to Sydney.

"Thanks." She took them and got Andrea dressed. Then they all walked back to the living room.

"Daddy, will you read me a story?" Andrea asked, climbing into her toddler bed and clutching her teddy bear. Gage just had to know the story behind the bear.

"Where did you get the bear, Andie?" he asked.

"From you Daddy. Mommy told me that you sent it to her for my birfday."

"Oh that's right. I forgot," he lied. So now he finds out that Hilary was buying birthday presents and saying they were from him. It just went to remind him of how much he's missed over the last 3 years.

"So can I have a story now?" she asked again.

"Sure." Gage picked up and book and began to read to Andrea. She laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes as her father's deep voice read the story of the bunnies to her.

Sydney was finishing cleaning up in the bathroom but heard Gage's voice as he read the silly children's book. He truly was being an amazing dad. The way he had jumped into the role of fatherhood surprised her, although it shouldn't have. Gage always had a way of dealing with children they encountered on the job, but this was different. It always is when it's your own child. Sydney couldn't wait to have that feeling herself, but maybe she and Gage should actually be married first before they start trying for a baby.

Sydney had just walked into the bedroom when she heard the lights click off and footsteps down the hallway. She sat on the bed and waited for Gage. He came in a moment later and, closing the door behind him, he smiled at her.

"She's asleep?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah. I bet she was out before I even got like five pages in the story."

"You sounded good out there."

"Well, the dad thing is still new. I'm just happy that she seems to go with the flow. I hope our kids are the same way."

"Our kids?" Sydney asked, eyebrows raised.

"Of course Shorty. I can't wait to make babies with you," he said, heat in his eyes as he walked towards her.

"Gage, we can't do this now. Andie is in the other room," Sydney said, even though her hands went to the bottom of her shirt to pull it over her head. He still continued towards her.

"I can be quiet if you can," he replied, pulling his own shirt over his head. He stopped a few paces in front of her and took possession of her lips. She immediately kissed him back, her hands working on his belt and zipper. As his hands went to her waist, he lifted her up and into his arms. He laid her on the bed before withdrawing the rest of his clothes off.

"Gage, wait. We really shouldn't do this with Andie in the next room," Sydney said as he slid her legs out of her jeans.

"I'm going crazy not touching you. I need you Syd."

"I need you too, but we can't make love with Andie in the living room."

"I need to feel you. I want to feel yours hands on me," Gage said as he bent down to kiss her neck. Sydney felt herself getting lost in his touch, with his lips on her neck and his hands on her breasts. She wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging her nails across his back.

"Gage," she murmured.

"Let's make a baby, Syd," he whispered in her ear. Her eyelids fluttered closed and his hand roamed down her leg. He pulled up her leg and she wrapped it around his body. His hands found their way back to her breasts as he massaged them through the lacy fabric of her bra.

As his hand went around her body to find the clasp, her eyes popped open and she pushed him up and off of her. A flash of hurt crossed his face and Sydney felt bad.

"Gage, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong? Everything was going fine until a few seconds ago."

"Everything is fine."

"How is it fine Syd? I just told you I want to make a baby with you and you literally pushed me away."

"Gage, I would love to make a baby with you, but it's too soon. I mean we literally just got into this aspect of our relationship a couple days ago. Then we got engaged and now your daughter is here. A daughter, I might add, you didn't have with me."

"Syd, you know that wasn't my fault…"

"I'm not saying it was. I'm just saying it's a lot to take in in such a short amount of time. Maybe we should…."

"I get it Syd; you don't want to be with me anymore. It's fine."

"Gage I never said that."

"You didn't have too."

"Gage I love you."

"I need to get some sleep. Maybe I should just crash on the couch," Gage said as he stood. Sydney grabbed his hand and pulled him back down to the bed.

"Gage, you are not sleeping on the couch. What is going on with you? You literally just found out about your daughter and now you want to make a baby with me? Are you trying to prove something to me or to yourself? Talk to me."

Gage took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. He looked at Sydney and he could see traces of tears forming in her eyes. He never wanted to see her cry and began to regret his actions, knowing he was the cause of her tears.

"Syd, it's just so hard to explain. I know you must be hurt because of what happened with Hilary and to find out about Andie on top of that? I can't even begin to imagine what this has to feel like for you. I just get done telling you I want you as my wife and the mother of my children only to find out that because someone decided to take advantage of me and it resulted in a child. And even though I have her now and as much as you'll be here to help me with her, you'll never be her mother at least not biologically and you can't tell me that don't hurt."

"Gage, it does. I'm not going to lie about that. But the fact of the matter is that Hilary is probably going to jail for a very long time and unless you're ready to start discussing tampons and boys with Andie, that's what I'm here for. I may not be her biological mother but I can be the best stepmom she's ever had.

As far as us having a baby together, let's just have some time. You were just saying this afternoon that we are gonna need to find a bigger place. Maybe we should do that before we make a baby and I personally would like to be married before we start trying for a baby."

"So you still want to marry me?" Gage asked.

"Of course. Do you still want to marry me?" Sydney asked.

"I'd marry you tonight if you'd let me."

Sydney laughed. "I know you would, but I'd like our friends and family to be there. I haven't even told my parents that I'm engaged yet. I think you've met them once."

"Yeah, a couple years ago when they came to surprise you at the office. I remember that."

"So how about we just give it some time, enjoy being engaged and raising Andie. We still have to get through the trial and see about getting Andie into therapy. You know she's going to need it."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry Syd. I didn't mean to push you."

"You're not, let just take it slow okay?"

"Okay. But what are we supposed to do about…."

"Gage, once we find a bigger place, I'm sure we can focus on each other."

"So no adult time until we find a bigger place?" he asked looking like a lost puppy dog. Sydney chuckled,

"I didn't say that. But maybe no adult time tonight. Its Andie's first night here and knowing our luck, we'll be right in the middle of things and she'll come bursting through the door."

Almost on cue, Gage heard Andrea's voice. "Daddy!"

Sydney smirked. "Told ya."

"Okay, okay, where are my pants?" he asked before finding a pair of sweats sitting on the chair near the window. He opened the door and walked out as Sydney got up and retrieved Gage's shirt off the floor. She slid it over her head and went back to the bed to wait for him.

He returned about 15 minutes later. Sydney had heard him out in the living room, first getting Andie the glass of water that she requested before reading her another story and promising her that he was never going anywhere again. Then she had asked for another glass of water before telling Gage that she needed to use the bathroom. He finally tucked her back in bed and went to his own bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"Everything okay?" Sydney asked.

"I hope so. Who knew being a dad was such hard work?"

"Might be hard work, but its definitely rewarding. I heard her say she loves you."

"Yeah, I love her too."

"Oh should I be jealous?" Sydney teased him.

"Never. There's plenty of room for you both in my heart," he said as he kissed her.

"Let's go to sleep, Francis."

Together they crawled into bed and snuggled under the covers. Sydney listened to Gage as his breathing even out and he fell into a deep sleep. She smiled to herself and let her mind wander to the thoughts of the new life that was awaiting her. Slowly her own breathing evened out and she slid into a deep sleep beside Gage.

Somehow in the middle of the night, Andrea had appeared by the bedside in her father's bedroom. She looked on the bed and saw her father holding Sydney in his arms. It made her smile. Something about the storied her mother had told her always seemed off but seeing the smile on her father's face while he slept holding the woman he loved, suddenly everything made sense. She climbed up on the bed and wiggled herself into Sydney's arms. She sighed contently as Sydney wrapped her arm around her and drifted off back to sleep.

The next morning, Gage woke up to a full bed. He had his arms around Sydney and she had her arm around Andrea. Gage suddenly decided he liked waking up like this. It felt right and for the first time in his life, since his parents had died, he felt like he had a family again. He slowly slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen to make coffee.

He had just started the coffeemaker when his phone rang. He grabbed it up quickly as to not wake his girls. Wow, his girls. He likes the way that sounds.

He opened the phone. "Gage."

"It's Walker."

"Hey Walker. What can I do for you?"

"Alex and I wanted to invite you, Sydney and Andrea to the ranch for dinner tonight."

"Sounds good to me. I'll talk to Syd when she gets up."

"I'm surprised she's not awake yet."

"She probably would've been but Andie crawled into bed with us last night and fell asleep in Syd's arms."

"I imagine Angela will be doing that soon enough," Walker said with a chuckle.

Gage laughed too. "Probably, something about daughters needing to feel safe with their fathers."

"Are you doing okay Gage?"

"What do you mean?"

"With everything. I know being a dad is new to you."

"It is but it's a learning experience."

"Yes it is. Remember Gage, if you or Sydney need anything we're here for you."

"Thanks Walker. We'll see you tonight around 6."

Gage hung up the phone, poured two cups of coffee and filled a sippy cup with juice. He then went back to the bedroom to wake his girls.

He paused in the doorway to just watch Sydney and Andrea lying together. It truly was a beautiful sight, seeing the woman he loved holding his daughter. It was times like this that Gage could almost forget that Hilary was her mother and pretend to himself that Sydney could be her mother. He couldn't wait to start a family with Sydney and knew that they would both make Andrea feel like a part of that family. Everything was falling into place and he couldn't be happier.


	4. Chapter 4

Gage walked over to the bed and set the cups on his nightstand. He reached over and with a gentle shake, he proceeded to wake Sydney. She stretched, rolled over and looked at him.

"Morning."

"Morning. We had a visitor last night," he said, his eyes glancing at the sleeping child in Sydney's arms. She followed his gaze and smiled to herself before looking back at him.

"Sorry."

"For what?" he asked.

"I didn't realize I was holding her."

"Don't apologize. She probably needs it right now."

"I just don't want to step on your toes."

"You're not."

Sydney eased her arm from around Andrea and sat up in bed. "Gage, the truth is I'm not her mother. I don't have any rights to raising her. I can't make those decisions."

"Syd, you're going to be my wife. As far as I'm concerned, that makes you a mother to her. Chances are there are going to be many times that I'm not going to have any idea on what I'm doing and I'll need your help. Andie is going to need a mother and a father and since Hilary is most likely going to jail for the rest of her life, we are going to be her parents."

"Thanks Gage. That means a lot."

"Anytime Shorty. It's the same things you said to me last night. If you can convince me we are in this together, than I should be able to convince you," he said, leaning in to give her a kiss. When he pulled back, he relayed his conversation with Walker.

"Walker and Alex want us to come to dinner tonight at 6."

"Sounds good to me. Alex told me yesterday that she wants us to bring Andie by the ranch."

"So what should we do today? Are you going to work?" he asked.

"For a little bit. I'm sure Walker will understand that I'm going to leave early. What are you guys going to do today?"

"I need to start looking for a new place and see about finding daycare for Andie."

"Maybe we should talk to Josie at the H.O.P.E. center. They have an excellent daycare program."

"Yeah, but there's probably a waiting list. If I can't find her daycare, I'm going to have to hire a babysitter."

"You're going to trust a babysitter?" Sydney asked.

"Not without a thorough background check," Gage said with a smile.

"I'm sure we can find something. I can ask Alex when I get to the office."

"Speaking of which, you should probably get ready for work. Go take a shower and I'll wake Andie."

"Okay," Sydney said leaning over to kiss him once more before sliding out of the bed. She headed for the bathroom and Gage leaned over the bed, placing a hand on Andrea's shoulder and giving her a gentle shake.

"Andie?"

"Mmhmm," said the sleeping child.

"It's time to wake up, Andie."

"No."

"We got a lot to do today and we can't do it if you stay in bed all day."

"No."

Gage reached over and began tickling her side. Andrea started giggling and finally rolled over to look at her father.

"Not nice, Daddy."

"I know, but we gotta get a move on. There's a lot to get done today. We need to get dressed and have breakfast."

"Where's Syd?"

"Taking a shower. She's going into work for a little bit today."

"Can I see where you work, Daddy? Please?"

"I suppose we could but first we need to get dressed. Come on, up and at em."

Andie scurried out of bed and out the door towards the living room. Gage walked over to the dresser and pulled out a clean shirt and jeans. He slipped off his sweats and slipped on his jeans.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching you do that," came a voice from the bathroom door. Gage turned to see Sydney watching him as he got dressed.

"You'll never have to," he said walking over to kiss her. She smiled back at him.

"Where's Andie?"

"Went to the living room to find some clothes I suppose."

"Did I hear you say you were coming to the office?"

"Andie wants to see where we work."

"You just want to show her off."

"That too. Look, I know you don't have a lot of clothes here. Want to borrow a shirt for today?"

"Gage, you shirts will swallow me whole."

"I think I have a couple left over from my "less buff" days."

"Have you ever been less buff?"

"You seem to like it."

"That I do."

He reached into a drawer and pulled out a green shirt before tossing it to Sydney. "This should work for today. When you get done at the office, I'll take you shopping."

"You're going to offer to take me shopping?" Sydney asked, eyebrows raised.

"Sure."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"I just love the way you look and if I can get a peek while you're trying to stuff on, I'll take it," Gage said flashing his trademark grin.

"Go help your daughter get dressed," Sydney said with a laugh. Gage flashed another grin and pulled his shirt on before grabbing his coffee cup as he left the room. Sydney proceeded to get dressed, sliding into her jeans and pulling Gage's shirt over her head as she walked over to get her coffee cup and head out the door.

They decided to ride to Headquarters together and that after Gage and Andrea were done with their errands, they would be back to pick up Sydney. The three of them walked into Company B, Andrea in Gage's arm and the other arm around Sydney.

Trivette was the first to notice the trio. "Good morning Gage, Sydney. This must be Andrea."

"People call me Andie," she said. "Do you work with my daddy too?"

"Yes I do. I'm Ranger Trivette."

"That's a funny name," Andrea said, giggling.

"You're right, it is."

"Where's Walker?" Sydney asked.

"On his way. Gage, I thought Walker gave you some time off?" Trivette asked.

"He did. We're just here to drop of Syd and Andie wanted to see the office. Then we're gonna go run a few errands."

Walker came through the door. "Good morning everybody."

"Morning Walker," the three rangers chorused.

"Gage what are you doing here? I gave you some time off," Walker said.

"I know. Andie wanted to see the office and we dropped Syd off."

"Walker, I know I probably have a lot of paperwork ahead of me but…" Sydney trailed off.

"Why don't you just do your reports from the safe house and then you can get out of here? Should be a few hours and Gage could pick you up when he's done doing whatever it is he needs to do," Walker said.

"Really? Thanks Walker," Sydney said.

"We're still going to see you guys for dinner tonight right?" Walker asked.

"We'll be there at 6," Gage said.

"Trivette, why don't you and Erika join us as well?" Walker asked.

"Are you sure it's not trouble? We don't want to impose," Trivette said.

"It's never an imposition. Everyone is welcome. I'll call Alex and let her know," Walker said with a smile before turning to the little girl in Gage's arms. "You must be Andie."

"Uh-huh."

"Well I'm Walker."

"That's a funny name too," she said with another giggle.

"Yeah but I use it more than I do my first name."

"So does Daddy! His name is Francis but he doesn't like it," Andrea said proudly. Gage's cheek became a rosy color as he smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks honey."

"You're welcome Daddy."

Gage set Andie down and pointed to his desk. "Why don't you go to my desk and draw us a picture while I talk to Walker, okay?"

"Okay Daddy! I'm gonna draw a picture for Syd cause I like her," Andrea said with a big smile as she scampered off to his desk. Gage turned back to face his bosses.

"She is gonna be a handful when she gets older," Trivette said with a sly smile.

"Well she is Gage's daughter," Sydney added with a laugh.

"Very funny guys," Gage said.

"At least she'll have Sydney around to help balance her out," Walker noted.

"We can all be thankful for that," Gage said with a smile as he wrapped an arm around Sydney's shoulders. She blushed slightly before turning to face Gage.

"Why don't you get going and I'll get started on my paperwork. Just give me a call when you're headed back here."

"Okay honey," Gage replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She went to her desk, across from Gage's and smiled at Andrea coloring away. She booted up her computer as Gage turned back to face Walker and Trivette.

"I appreciate you giving me some time with her."

"Of course. Oh, Alex wanted me to tell you that she has reserved a spot of Andie at the H.O.P.E. center daycare."

"That's a load off my mind."

"We thought it might be. Also I have the number for Angela's pediatrician. We figured you were going to have to look for one."

"Thanks Walker."

"Anytime. Alex already called them and they're expecting your call."

"You guys have done so much for me and for Andie."

"How did your first night go?" Trivette asked him.

"Not too bad. She ended up in bed with Syd and me."

"When's the wedding going to be?" Trivette asked.

"Not sure. Syd hasn't even told her folks about us yet and I'm sure her dad is going to have something to say when they find out about Andie."

"Haven't you already met them? Didn't they visit here a while back?" Walker asked.

"Yeah but they didn't know about us then. They thought I was just her partner."

"You've never been 'just' her partner," Walker noted.

"No, I guess not."

"Okay, go on and get out of here so Sydney can finish her work before you get back," Trivette teased.

"I'm gone. Come on Andie!" Gage called to his daughter. She ran around to Sydney's desk and gave the petite ranger a huge hug before scampering back to her father. She took his hand and they left Company B.

Walker walked over to Sydney's desk. "May I have a word with you in my office please?"

"Sure Walker," Sydney said, getting up and following him into the office. He closed the door behind them and Sydney sat in the chair across from his desk. Walker took off his Stetson, placed it on the hook and sat behind the desk.

"Something wrong Walker?" Sydney asked.

"I know you talked to Alex yesterday, she asked me about the rape."

Sydney's face fell. "I was hoping she would forget that."

"You know Alex. She can be like a dog after a bone."

"She wants to prosecute doesn't she?"

"Yes she does. I told her it was up to Gage."

"I don't think he wants the world to know what happened. Not to mention what he'd do if Andie ever found out. Up until last night, she had this memory in her head of her parents getting back together and the three of them being a family. That would crush her."

"I think she has plans to talk to him."

"Is that going to happen tonight?" Sydney asked.

"I don't know."

"I'll talk to him."

"Good. You're good for him Sydney."

"I hope so."

"That boy has loved you for a long time. I think it even started back before you both went undercover for the El Leon bust."

"You really think so?"

"Yes I do. You know, I see a lot of myself in Gage," Walker said.

"I see it too. You know he looks to you like a father, Walker."

"I would be proud to have a son like Gage. He's turned into a fine ranger, an upstanding man and he'll be an excellent husband. And if he's not, I'll be there to kick his butt in the ring," Walker added with a chuckle.

Sydney laughed too. "I'll kick his butt first. But if there's nothing else, I should get my paperwork done."

"Okay."

Sydney left Walker's office and went back to her desk. She was about to pick up her pen when she changed her mind, grabbing the phone and dialing a number she knew by heart.

The phone rang at the home of Joseph and Michelle Cooke. Michelle picked it up and answered "Hello?"

"Mom?"

"Sydney? Are you okay? Is everything alright?" Michelle asked.

"Everything is fine, Mom. I called with some good news actually."

"What kind of news?"

"Well, I'm engaged."

"Oh Sydney, that's fantastic! I'm so happy for you. Who is he?"

"Do you remember my partner?"

"Francis?"

"He goes by Gage but yes, that's him. That's my fiancé."

"You're marrying your partner?"

"Yes Mom. I love him."

"Isn't that against the rules?"

"Our boss knows and he's okay with it. But Mom, there's something else."

"Sydney are you pregnant?"

"No Mom, I'm not. But Gage recently found out he has a daughter. It's a long story, one I'd rather not explain on the phone, but her mother is facing a slew of charges and will most likely be going to jail for a very long time. Gage has asked me to help him raise his daughter."

The other end of the line went quiet and for a minute, Sydney thought her mother had hung up on her. But she heard the light breathing and knew she was still on the line.

"Mom?"

"Sydney, are you going to tell your father about this?"

"Well, yes. I want you both here for the wedding."

"I meant about Gage's daughter."

"I suppose I'm going to have to."

"Sydney you're going to want to work on what you're going to tell him. He might not take the news so easily."

"I know."

"Have you and Gage set a date yet?"

"Not yet. I told him I had to tell you first about our engagement but I know it will probably be soon. I don't want to spend another minute without him."

"Well, when you know, let us know. If you'd like, I will tell your father about your engagement."

"I really would like to tell him myself. Why don't you both come for a visit?"

"That would be nice. We'd both love to see you."

"I'd love to see you both. I'm sure Gage would love it too."

"Well when we get into Dallas, should we meet you at work or at your apartment?"

Sydney had forgotten about her apartment. She thought for a moment about how to tell her mother that she was living with Gage now and that he was currently searching for a new home for them.

"Sydney, are you there?"

"Well, there's one other thing I should tell you."

"It can't be worse than anything else you've told me."

"Gage and I are sort of living together."

"Oh, God, this is going to kill your father."

"Mom, it's not my fault and it's not like I planned it. My apartment is a crime scene and I needed somewhere to go."

"It's a crime scene? What happened?"

"It goes back to that long story that I'd rather not tell you on the phone."

"Oh, Sydney, you really know how to do it good, don't you? Your father is going to hit the floor when he hears about all this."

"Mom, I promise we will explain everything to you and Dad when you come for your visit. Let me talk to Gage tonight and I'll call you tomorrow with more details."

"Okay. Be careful Sydney."

"I'm always careful Mom. Besides, Gage has my back."

"I think he has a lot more than that."

"That's true Mom. He has my heart."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later Sydney. Oh wait," Michelle said before Sydney hung up.

"What is it Mom?"

"How old is Gage's daughter?"

"Three."

"What's her name?"

"Andrea but everyone calls her Andie."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Why did you want to know Mom?"

"I'd like to bring her a little gift when we visit."

"I'm sure she'd like that. Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome. I love you Sydney."

"I love you too Mom."

"Bye."

"Bye," Sydney said as she hung up the phone. At least she had told her mother what was going on. Her father, on the other hand, would be another story all together. Her mother might be more accepting to her and Gage living together in sin, raising his illegitimate daughter that resulted from Gage being sexually assaulted and now they're getting married.

Gage and Andrea had a fun morning hanging out together. After they left Sydney at the office, they went out to breakfast and then went to spend some time at the park. While Andrea played on the swing set, Gage called the pediatrician's office Alex had recommended. Then he called Josie at the H.O.P.E. center and asked if Andrea could start in a few days.

He just sat on the bench and watched his daughter play with some of the other kids. It felt so natural to be there with her and he almost could forget everything that had to happen to lead to this moment.

He felt someone standing behind him and turned quickly. He saw Alex standing behind him, pushing Angela in the baby stroller.

"Hi Gage."

"Hey Alex. Hey little girl, how's my best girl?" Gage asked the baby as if she understood him. She responded by blowing spit bubbles at him.

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked as she sat down beside him on the bench.

"Just letting Andie blow off some steam before we go back and get Syd from work. Did Walker call you yet?"

"About what?"

"About dinner tonight. Syd and I will be there at 6 and he's invited Trivette and Erika too."

"Oh that, yes he did."

"Good. Thanks again for inviting us."

"It's no problem."

Andie came running up to her father and the pretty blonde lady. "Who's this Daddy?"

"This is Alex. You met her husband this morning at my office. I work with her husband Walker."

"Oh yeah, he has a name he doesn't like either. Just like my daddy."

"I know, he told me.

"Do you know Syd too? She loves my daddy."

"I know she does."

Andrea spied the stroller. "Is that a baby?"

"Yes, it's my daughter Angela."

"Can I play with her?"

Alex looked at Gage and smiled back at Andrea. "Sure. Gage got up and helped Alex spread a blanket on the ground near the bench. Alex then took Angela out of the stroller and placed her on the blanket. Andrea walked over, plopped herself down and began to coo at the infant. Gage couldn't help but wonder at how good Andrea would be as a big sister.

"So Gage, can we talk?"

"Sure Alex. What's up?"

"I know about what happened with H-I-L-A-R-Y."

"Walker or Syd?"

"Sydney told me first and then Walker confirmed it. I noticed those charges are being filed with the rest of them."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Gage, I wish you'd reconsider. She deserves to be punished for what she did."

"And she will get punished. I know you'll go for the max on the other charges."

"But I'd like to get her on all the charges."

"I just can't talk about it Alex. To have it get out that I let that happen to me? I'd be the laughingstock of not only the Texas Rangers but as a man. Not to mention is A-N-D-I-E finds out."

"She won't think any less of you, nobody will. What happened was beyond your control. You didn't 'let' it happen; she took away your ability to consent. It doesn't make you any less of a Texas Ranger or any less of a man."

"It makes me feel weak. I can't afford to be weak, in my job or in my life. I have other people counting on me now. Andie and Syd for starters. Not to mention if Syd and I start a family. It's taken me some time to understand that it wasn't my fault but I need to put it behind me. I have to be strong for my family."

Alex was quiet for a few minutes, taking in Gage's words. As much as she wanted to press the issue, she knew it would be pointless now. Gage was so much like Walker, it wasn't even funny. And when either of those two put their minds to something, they stuck with it. Finally, she just smiled as she too Gage's hand.

"I can understand that. I may not agree with it but I can understand it."

"Thanks Alex."

"You and Walker really are cut from the same cloth, aren't you? He pretty much said the same thing when I asked him about it."

"If the worse thing I do in this life is end up like Walker, then I guess I'm doing okay," Gage said with a smile. Walker had been his idol when he was in the academy and getting the chance to work with him had been his dream. Now his dream included seeing Sydney in a stunning white wedding gown as they pledged their lives to one another. He couldn't wait to get started on seeing that dream come true.

"Hey Alex, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you think Syd and I could get married out at your ranch? She's always loved it there and I think we're both a little past a church wedding. It wouldn't have to be anything big, just you guys, Jimmy, Erika, Julie and Sydney's parents."

"I would love to have your wedding at the ranch."

"I just have to double check things with Syd, but I'm sure she'll want to do it there too."

"Just let me know when. I want to help in any way I can for the wedding."

"Good, cause Syd will probably ask you to be her Matron of Honor."

"I would be honored if that's what she wants."

"Well, I should know more soon. She said she wants to tell her parents before we do any serious wedding plans. But I'll let you know."

"Sounds great. Well, I should get Angela home for her nap. We'll see you all tonight. Bye Gage, bye Andie," Alex said as she walked over and collected the baby and her things. Settling Angela in the stroller, she waved again as she walked away. Andrea came running over to Gage.

"I like her Daddy. She's pretty."

"Yeah, Alex is pretty nice. We're going to her house for dinner tonight."

"Can I play with her baby some more?"

"You'll have to ask her when we get there. But we should be getting home."

"What about Syd?"

"I think you should have a nap first and then we can go get her."

"But I'm not tired Daddy."

"I said it's time for a nap. Let's go please."

"Fine." Andrea went and picked up her toys, bringing them back over to Gage and they walked to the car. Gage got her all buckled and then climbed inside, heading for home.

A few hours later, Gage and Andrea arrive at Headquarter to pick up Sydney. Andrea ran right over to Sydney and threw her tiny arms around her neck in a tight hug. Sydney wrapped her arms around the little girl, cradling her. It had only been a short time, but she already loved this little girl like her own.

"Did you have a fun day with Daddy?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah, he took me out to breakfast. Daddy eats a lot Syd."

Sydney laughed. "I know he does. What did he eat today?"

"He had eggs and toast and pamcakes and bacon and sausage and…"

"Wow, that is a lot," Sydney said, before the little girl could ramble any more foods off. She looked at Gage and he just shrugged.

"Did you finish your report?" he asked.

"All done. Let's get out of here," Sydney said, standing to grab her coat. She waved goodbye to Walker and Trivette before taking Gage's hand in her left and Andie's hand in her right. Together the three of them walked out of headquarters.

Later that night, promptly at 6pm, Gage's car pulled into Walker's driveway. He parked next to Trivette's car and went around opening the door for his ladies. He held a hand for Sydney as she climbed out and then he reached in to unbuckle Andrea. They could see everyone sitting outside on the porch and Gage asked Andrea to go over to them so he could talk to Sydney for a minute.

Once she was gone, Sydney turned to Gage. "What's up?"

"I know you talked to Alex. She met up with us at the park today."

Sydney looked down. "I'm sorry Gage."

"It's okay," he said, wrapping his arms around her. She nestled her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "I know you were just trying to help."

"I think Alex has a point," Sydney murmured against his shirt.

"I know. But I have to deal with this in my own way. Please understand that."

"I do. I just know that I want her punished for what she did to you."

"She will. She will be punished for what she did to both of us. Alex will make sure of that."

"I know, you're right. I just love you so much and I want to protect you," Sydney said, gazing up into his eyes.

"I love you too, more than life itself. We can protect each other and we can protect Andie together. She's going to need us."

"I know."

"Okay, so I have another confession to make," Gage said.

"What?" Sydney asked.

"I asked Alex if we could have our wedding here at the ranch. You've always loved it here and since it would be a small wedding, she said it was fine with her as long as it's fine with you."

"You asked Alex if we could get married here?" Sydney asked, amazed by the man in front of her.

"Do you want to do a church wedding? We can if you want to…." Gage trailed off as Sydney's lips covered his own. When she pulled back, she was smiling.

"I'd love to get married here. I can't believe you thought of having it here."

"Well I can't wait to marry you, Shorty."

Sydney looked down and Gage crooked a finger under her chin, raising her head to meet her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I have my own confession."

"What?"

"I called my mother today."

"You told your parents about us?"

"Well, I told my mother. My father wasn't home."

"What did your mother say?"

"I gave her the shortened version of what has happened. I didn't tell her what Hilary did to you, that's not a conversation to have over the phone. They're going to come visit us."

"Your parents are coming here?" Gage exclaimed.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Syd, I don't know about this. Your dad and I only met the one time and now he's coming here to find out about a daughter I never knew I had and, oh by the way, I'm marrying his daughter and we're living together? I haven't even asked his permission yet!"

"Permission for what?" Sydney asked.

"To marry you."

"You really want to ask my dad for my hand?" Sydney asked, shocked by his emotion.

"Of course. It's the right thing to do. My dad always said to make sure you always ask the father for permission first. He said he couldn't wait for the day some boy would ask him for Julie's hand. He had this whole routine worked out to scare the daylights out of the guy, to see how he would react and if he could truly take care of Julie the way she deserved. Now I guess the guy is gonna have to ask me."

"Oh yeah, like that's gonna happen. Julie won't let you anywhere near him, she'd be too afraid you'd shoot him," Sydney said, laughing.

"Damn straight. Nobody is good enough for my sister. As long as the guy knows that, we'll be okay."

"Gage, when the time comes and Julie finds someone she wants to spend her life with, she's not going to tell you."

"Let's agree to disagree. Now what do we do about your parents?"

"We're just going to have to tell them. Just come right out and say it. No holding back and no pussyfooting around. We can handle this, we're Texas Rangers and it's just my parents," Sydney said.

"Yeah and Joseph Cooke scares me more than 100 bad guys on the streets of Dallas," Gage admitted to his fiancé.

"Aw, that's so cute. You're scared of my father," Sydney said, looking up at his face.

"Syd, I'm not just scared of your dad, he terrifies me."

"We can talk more about your irrational fear of my father after dinner. Looks like our friends are waiting for us," Sydney said, pointing towards the porch. Andie was showing off for everyone as Alex turned and waved for them to join the group. Together they walked hand in hand to join their friends.

Dinner was wonderful. Alex really outdid herself. She prepared a big turkey with all the trimmings, a slight preview for what she would be doing for Thanksgiving this year. Now she, Erika and Sydney were in the kitchen, making coffee and preparing dessert while the men gathered in the living room and watched Andie play with Angela.

Trivette tried his best to rile Gage's goat when he found out that Sydney's parents were coming to visit and it was working. Gage was now more nervous than ever to come face to face with Joseph Cooke.

"So you haven't asked her dad yet?" Trivette asked.

"No."

"Man, he's going to go up one side of you and down the other," Trivette said with a laugh. Gage's face got pink.

"He knows I can take care of Syd," Gage stated.

"Yeah but this is a different kind of "taking care of" man, this is marriage. Fred did the same thing to me when I asked him about Erika."

Gage's face went from pink to red. "I can handle him."

"Just make sure you don't get her pregnant before the wedding. He would kill you," Trivette added.

Gage went from red to fire engine as he thought of telling Joseph Cooke that his unmarried daughter was pregnant. Thankfully, they had decided to wait and he was grateful for that. He wondered if that was part of the reason Sydney had wanted to wait but right now, he didn't care.

"Can we talk about something else?" Gage asked, trying to get back to white.

"I second that," Sydney said, coming into the room with a tray of coffee cups. Alex was behind her with the plates of apple pie and Erika had cups for the kids and napkins. Everything was set on the coffee table and Gage called for Andrea to come over. She ran over to her father and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Daddy, I like the baby. When is Syd going to have a baby?" she asked.

Sydney nearly dropped the plate of pie she was handing to Walker and Gage almost spit out his coffee.

"Do you want Sydney to have a baby?" Alex asked the three year old.

"Uh-huh. I wanna be a big sister. Would I be a big sister to Syd's baby Daddy?" Andrea asked her father.

"Yes, you would be a big sister to Syd's baby. It would be either your brother or sister."

"So can we have a baby now?" she asked.

"Oh honey, it takes a while to have a baby," Gage said, looking to Sydney for help.

"You know what Andie? Before your daddy and I can have a baby, we need to have the wedding. You remember that your daddy and I told you we're getting married?" the little girl nodded and Sydney continued. "So when we have the wedding, your daddy and I can talk about having a baby."

"Do I get to be at the wedding?" Andrea asked.

"Of course. You get to be in the wedding. We want you as the flower girl," Gage said.

"What does that mean?"

"That means you get to wear a really pretty dress and carry a little basket of flower petals," Sydney said.

"Andie, if you'd like we can show you the video from our wedding so you can see what a flower girl does," Alex said.

"Was my daddy at your wedding, Alex?"

"He was in our wedding and so was Sydney."

"So are you going to be at Daddy and Sydney's wedding?"

"If they want us to be," Alex said, looking at Gage.

"Of course we want you guys there, Alex. It would be rude to have the wedding here at the ranch and not invite you," Gage said with a laugh.

"Actually Alex, I would be honored if you would be my Matron of Honor," Sydney said.

"I would love to. Thank you Sydney."

"And Erika, I'd love it if you would be my bridesmaid."

"Of course Sydney. Thank you for asking."

"I think it goes without saying but I'd like you to be my Best Man Walker," Gage said, glancing at the older ranger.

"Of course Gage."

"And Trivette, I'd like you to be my groomsman."

"I'll be there for you buddy. Just one suggestion for you ladies as you begin your wedding planning," he said, eyeing Gage as he spoke to the women.

"What's that Jimmy?" Erika asked.

"Don't let Gage anywhere near the tuxes," he said with a laugh. Gage started to turn red as he stammered to explain.

"I think we're going to keep it casual," Sydney said, wrapping her arm around Gage's.

"How casual is casual?" Alex asked, grabbing a notepad and pen.

"You're not going to let the guys show up in jeans are you?" Erika asked.

"Maybe," Sydney replied with a smile.

"Seriously?" Alex and Erika asked at the same time.

"Gage does look good in a pair of Wranglers."

"Thanks honey," Gage said, kissing her cheek.

"When are you thinking of having the wedding?" Alex asked.

"Well, we do need to tell my father first. I called my mother today and told her. She said they want to come visit me and I can tell my father then. But I do need to find them a good hotel first. Daddy doesn't know that Gage and I are living together or that we're engaged or about A-N-D-I-E."

"Speaking of a bigger place, Walker and I wanted to give you an early wedding present."

"Alex, you're already letting us have the wedding here. That's a big enough gift," Sydney insisted.

"We would've done that anyways. But with your growing family, you're going to need a bigger place," Alex said.

"We do need something bigger and I checked the rental ads all day. Nothing is available in the school district," Gage said.

"That's why we wanted to offer you both a small parcel of land, about 5 acres down near the creek bed," Walker said. "Gage you've always loved it down there, and you're far enough away from us to have your privacy. Plus the ranch is located in the school district and not too far from work."

"We can all pitch in to help you build your dream home. In fact, if you both would like to come over tomorrow, we can go over house plans and I can get in touch with the contractor. If we get right on this, it should be done in a couple weeks," Alex added.

"And if your parents waited until then to visit, you would be in your new home and they wouldn't need to find a hotel," Erika finished.

Sydney turned to Gage. "That could work. We could plan the wedding for when they visit. What do you think honey?"

Gage thought for a minute. Walker and Alex were offering them land and to help build a home. Sydney had said she wanted to wait until they had a bigger place and were married before they tried for a baby. And if her parents wanted to visit, they could get married while they were here. All in all, it did make sense. Looking into Sydney's eyes, he knew she wanted this and he would do anything to keep a smile on her beautiful face.

"Anything you want, baby," he said pulling her into a tight hug. Sydney threw her arms around him, crushing him to her. His lips sought out hers in a sweet, short kiss as they broke apart and looked at their friends.

"Walker, Alex, we don't even know how to begin to thank you. You both are offering us more than a place to build a home. You're offering us a place to build a family and a life together."

"We would do anything for you guys. You're family," Alex said, getting up to hug Sydney.

"Oh Alex, I don't even begin to know how to thank you," Sydney said.

"Just be happy. We will get everything squared away and get you two married. It's been a long time coming. I just wish CD was here to see this. He always thought you guys needed a push."

"Thank you," Gage said, standing to shake Walker's hand.

"Well, we should be going," Trivette said, standing to take Erika's hand. They hugged their friends goodbye and left. Gage turned and looked at Sydney.

"We should get going too. Although it's going to be hard to tear Andie away from Angela."

"Gage, if you'd like, Andie could spend the night here," Alex offered.

"We don't want to impose," Sydney said.

"It's fine. If you're comfortable leaving her here and you'll both be back in the morning."

"Are you sure Alex?" Gage asked.

"Of course."

"Andie, do you want to spend the night here with Angela?" Gage asked his daughter.

"Can I? Please Daddy?"

"Sure. You just make sure you listen to Alex and Walker."

"If you'd like, Andie, you can call us Aunt and Uncle," Alex told the three year old. "If it's okay with your dad."

"Can I Daddy?"

"Sure. Are you going to listen to Aunt Alex and Uncle Walker?"

The little girl nodded excitedly. "Thank you Daddy!"

"Okay, Syd and I will be back in the morning."

"Bye Daddy! Bye Syd!" Andie called as she ran back to Angela. Gage just shook his head and laughed.

"She'll be fine, you guys. We'll take good care of her," Walker said, leading his friends to the door. He hugged Sydney goodbye and shook Gage's hand. To be honest, he had never felt so proud of his junior rangers.

Arriving back at the apartment, Sydney plopped down on the couch with a notebook and pen. She couldn't wait to get started on house plans. As a little girl, she couldn't help but dream of her wedding and the home she would build with her future husband. Now all her dreams were coming true.

Gage's dreams, however, including spending time alone in bed with his fiancé. He sat down beside her and placed his hand on her knee. Sydney kept scribbling away as Gage began to slide his hand her thigh.

"Gage, what are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

"I want to get some ideas written down before I forget them."

"We can do that later," Gage said, his hand continuing its journey. Sydney finally looked up from the notebook and gave him a look. Gage just looked at her, fire burning in his eyes.

"Francis…"

"Sydney…"

"Do you ever listen?"

"Sometimes," he said as he leaned up to kiss her neck.

"Umm, Francis…"

"Forget the plans. I got plans of my own," Gage said, taking the notebook from her hands. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he began his walk to the bedroom. But as Sydney began to nibble his neck and grind her hips against him, he stopped briefly to push her up against the wall.

There, he feasted on her mouth, his tongue demanding access and she happily obliged. Dancing in a smooth motion, their tongues met. Gage ran his hands up and down her sides, coming to rest with his thumbs just under her breasts.

"Don't stop," came the breathy moan from Sydney. Gage swept his thumbs up over her nipples and she shuddered. Gage returned his hands to her waist and her fingers went to work on his shirt. Once she popped the last button out of place, she slid it down his arms to the floor.

"Take me, Francis. Take me now," Sydney purred into his ear. Gage didn't have to hear anything else. He simply carried her to bed, kicking the door closed behind them.

The next morning, Gage and Sydney were at Walker's bright and early. Even though they had been preoccupied when they first got home, Gage's mind couldn't help but wander back to his daughter when they were finished. He wanted to make sure she was safe and until Hilary was sentenced, he just felt like he couldn't relax.

Alex met them at the door, coffee cups in hand.

"Come sit down. Andie is finishing her breakfast and Angela just went down for her nap."

"I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Gage said, taking a cup from Alex.

"Not at all. She and Angela played until bath time and Andie even helped with the bath. Then we got Angela into her pajamas and Andie rocked in the rocking chair with Walker and Angela as he told them a story. Then she went right to sleep. Slept all night and didn't even wake when Angela cried around 2 this morning."

"Sounds like she had a great time," Sydney said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"She did. I think she's going to make a great big sister," Alex said, winking at Sydney.

"We need to get this wedding over with first. My father will kill Gage if I'm pregnant before we get married."

"Cooke, he's probably going to kill me anyways when he finds out we're living together."

"Then let's get down to business. We should discuss the house first. I've got the contractor coming out this afternoon to begin mapping out the area so we need to get something down on paper for him to get started with."

"Sounds good," Gage said.

"Do you want a single story home or a two story?" Alex asked.

"Two story. Something with a large kitchen and dining room, a study, living room, half bath and guest room downstairs. Upstairs, we'll need three bedrooms, a full bath plus the master suite," Sydney said, pulling out her papers from the night before. She had managed to get a few things sketched out and showed them to Alex.

"You've put some thought into this."

"What little girl didn't use to dream about her first home with her husband?"

"Why so many bedrooms, Syd?" Gage asked.

"For our children, honey."

"How many kids are you planning on us having?" he asked his bride-to-be.

"Well, I'd like a couple of my own plus we have Andie."

"Okay, just don't go overboard," Alex said with a laugh.

"I thought maybe one more at most, Syd," Gage said.

"We can discuss that in private, Francis," Sydney said, a warning in her eyes.

"Yes dear," Gage said, shutting his mouth and listening.

"I'll give the contractor your sketches. Now about the wedding, we already have the wedding party selected. What kinds of flowers do you want? Have you thought about music? What about attire?" Alex rambled on with her list of questions.

"I like the idea of a small country wedding. Wildflowers would be nice, especially since they're in season. I'd love to have all the classic country songs, especially anything by Brooks & Dunn. That's Gage's favorite duo. For attire, I was thinking the guys could wear jeans, nice ones of course, with tuxedo shirts and vests. I have my eye on this gorgeous white slip dress I saw at the boutique a few days ago. I've called and asked them to hold it for me. I'm sure they'll have other dresses there we could get for you, Erika and Andie."

"Sounds like you know everything you want, Sydney. I'm glad I could help. I will arrange for the flowers to be delivered here and maybe this afternoon, we girls could go to the boutique and look for dresses," Alex said, making a note.

"Sounds like a plan. Maybe Gage can meet with the contractor and we can go now, if Erika is free," Sydney said, looking at Gage.

"Anything you want, baby," he said again, same as the night before. She leaned over, kissed him on the cheek and then the two women stood up. They went into the kitchen to check on Andie and make some phone calls, leaving Gage lost in his own thoughts about the children Sydney wanted to have.

He had always thought about having one kid, but now it seemed like Sydney wanted a whole house full of kids. Gage wondered how he would go about supporting his growing family and what he needed to tell Sydney's father when they came to visit.

An hour later, Alex and Sydney were loading Angela and Andrea into the car. Erika was going to meet them at the boutique and after shopping, the ladies were going to lunch. The contractor would be here in about an hour to meet with Gage about their home.

Taking a walk through the pasture, Gage thought of the future. He was marrying the love of his life and beginning a journey he never thought possible. He was a father now and, with any luck, Sydney was going to make him a father again.

His thoughts drifted back to his own parents. He wished they could be here to share in this magical day with him. They would've loved Sydney. He knew that Julie thought Sydney was the best thing to ever happen to him.

 _Oh man! I forgot to call Julie and tell her what's going on!_ Gage thought as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his sister's phone number.

" _Hello?_ "

"Jules?"

" _Hey Francis. What's new in your life?_ "

"I was wondering if you'd be able to come to Dallas in a couple weeks."

" _I should be able to. Why, what's going on Francis?_ "

"I have some news."

" _What kind of news? Is everything okay? Should I be worried? Do I need to come home now? Talk to me Francis._ "

"Whoa, slow down Jules. Everything is fine. I'm getting married."

" _To whom? It better be Sydney or I'm going to kick your butt._ "

"It is to Sydney. I gave her Dad's ring."

" _Oh Francis, I couldn't be happier for you._ "

"There's more."

" _Don't tell me she's pregnant._ "

"No she's not pregnant. But do you remember when I worked in Houston for the rangers?"

" _Yeah._ "

"There was a woman there who asked me out a bunch of times and after a while I said yes."

" _I don't like where this is going._ "

"Julie, I have a daughter." The line was quiet and Gage was worried she had hung up on him. "Jules?"

" _I'm here, Francis._ "

"Did you hear what I said?"

" _Yeah I did. Are you sure she's yours? Did this woman tell you she was yours?_ "

"We've done the DNA test. She is mine. Her name is Andrea but she likes to be called Andie. And her mother has been arrested and will be going to jail for a long time."

" _What aren't you telling me, Francis?_ "

"What do you mean?"

" _What happened with this woman?_ "

Gage thought for a minute how to answer his big sister. He didn't want to tell her the truth but he knew she could always tell when he was lying. He knew he had to tell her what had happened with Hilary.

"The night I went out with her, she slipped something in my drink."

" _Francis, are you telling me that she drugged you? Did she rape you?_ "

"Yeah, she did. But I don't want to talk about it. It's over and it's in the past. Syd is my future and so is Andie."

" _I'll be on the next flight to Dallas._ "

"Jules, you don't have to come home now. Just make sure you're here for the wedding. We'll even put you up."

" _Francis I've seen your apartment. It was barely big enough for you, how are you going to fit Sydney and a daughter in there?_ "

"Walker and Alex have offered Syd and me a piece of land. They're going to help us build a home for our family. We should be getting married by the time it's done. That way you can stay with us and so can Syd's parents when they come."

" _Have you guys told her parents?_ "

"Syd told her mother but her dad doesn't know yet."

" _Don't get her pregnant._ "

"Why does everyone think Syd is going to get pregnant before we're married?"

" _Francis, you've been in love with Sydney for years. I've seen the way you look at her. Do you remember the day you rescued me? I saw how she wouldn't leave your side at the hospital. I saw how you looked at her while they were loading me into the ambulance. You can't tell me that you haven't slept with her yet._ "

"Hey, a man doesn't kiss and tell."

" _I'm going to take that as a yes. So unless you remember everything Dad told you about sex, I'm just telling you not to get her pregnant. Her father will kill you if she's pregnant before she's married._ "

"I have to go now Jules. The contractor is coming and I need to meet with him about the house plans."

" _I will see you soon then. Tell Sydney I said congratulations._ "

"I will Jules, I love you."

" _Love you too little brother._ "

Gage hung up the phone, smiling as he received his sister's blessing. Everything was falling into place for him and Sydney and he couldn't be happier. He headed over to meet the contractor and give him Sydney's plans.

At the boutique, Erika and Alex waited as Sydney tried on her dress. Stepping out of the dressing room, she looked like an angel in white. The slip dress had a sweetheart neckline and the skirt flared out just above the waist. The dress fell to just below her knees and she had paired it with a pair of white heels with beading along the edges.

She walked over to her friends. "What do you think?"

"Sydney, that dress is beautiful. It's perfect," Alex said.

"Gage is going to love it," Erika added.

"Are you sure? I know it's not a traditional wedding gown, but I figure we're way past traditional here."

"It's perfect," Alex and Erika said together.

"Great. How about the shoes?"

"Shoes are perfect. What are you going to do with your hair?" Erika asked.

"Well, I know Gage prefers it down, but I want to wear it up for the ceremony. Maybe pinned to the top of my head with some tendrils hanging down on the sides."

"If you know he likes it down, why are you wearing it up?" Erika asked.

"So he can have more fun taking it down afterwards," Sydney said with a coy smile on her face.

"You little vixen!" Alex exclaimed.

"Hey it's going to be my honeymoon," Sydney said, justifying her statement.

"And Walker and I will babysit Andie after the wedding so you guys can have your honeymoon."

"Well we're not planning on really going anywhere. Maybe just take a night or two to be alone and enjoy being married."

"And get started on that family you want?" Alex asked.

"Alex!" Sydney exclaimed, her cheeks growing redder by the minute.

"Syd, are we going to be here much longer?" Andie said, walking up to the adults. She had been coloring in a coloring book while Sydney tried on her dress.

"Alex and Erika have to try on some dresses and so do you," Sydney told the little girl.

"Do I have to?"

"Well, I'd like you too. Your daddy and I want you to be in the wedding with us and I'd like to get you a pretty dress for the wedding."

"You know I have just the dress over here that would be perfect for your little girl," the sales girl said, overhearing the conversation. She naturally assumed Sydney was her mother. The girl came back with a smaller version of Sydney's dress, one that would be the perfect size for Andie.

"How's this?"

"What do you think Andie?"

"I like it. It looks like yours."

"Do you want to try it on?" Sydney asked.

The little girl nodded and Alex took the dress from the sales girl. "I'll help her with the dress, Sydney."

"Thanks Alex."

They disappeared into the dressing room and Sydney sat in the chair near Erika.

"Are you nervous at all?" Erika asked.

"No. I love Gage with all my heart and I'm just sorry it took so long to admit it to myself. We missed out on so much time."

"Well I know I was a nervous wreck when I married Jimmy. But I knew I didn't want to spend another minute not being his wife. After everything that happened with Lavocat, I thought I was going to lose him. And then everything with Alex and Angela, I just knew I couldn't wait any longer."

"Are you upset that you didn't have the big church wedding?" Sydney asked.

"I would've loved to get married in a church and had a big reception but I think going to the justice of the peace was the right thing for us. We had everyone there that mattered: Walker and Alex, you and Gage, my dad and Jimmy's brother. I know my mother and Jimmy's parents were looking down on us the day we got married and they were with us in spirit. I wouldn't trade my wedding for anything," Erika said, as she stood and began looking through the racks of dresses.

"We're ready!" Alex called from behind the door. She opened it and Andie stepped out, beautiful as ever in the matching white dress. Sydney stood and walked over to her soon-to-be stepdaughter, placed her hands on her shoulders and smiled.

"You look beautiful Andie."

"You do too, Syd."

"Do you like this dress?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then this is the one we are going to get. We just have to make sure Daddy doesn't see them, okay?" Sydney asked the little girl.

"Why?"

"Its bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding," Alex said as she pondered the racks for a dress.

"Oh."

"I think I found one," Erika said and she scurried into the dressing room. Andie went back into her dressing room to change and Alex sat with Sydney.

"Alex, what was your favorite part of your wedding?" Sydney asked.

"The whole day was wonderful."

"Even when the vocalist got laryngitis?"

"Okay, maybe that part wasn't great, but it was a nice surprise for my dad to be there. With him being attacked before the wedding, I really didn't think he was going to be there. It meant the world to me having him walk me down that aisle. What was your favorite part Sydney?"

"When Gage and I kissed."

"You kissed Gage at my wedding?" Alex asked, shocked.

"It was when you and Walker landed the plane. We were watching at CDs with Trivette and earlier that night, I had exploded on Gage about not being in a serious relationship or even having a date for months. He told me all these sweet and wonderful things about how I'm beautiful and smart and funny. Then he said guys were intimidated by my ability to kick butt with the best of them. He finally said the right guy for me wouldn't be intimidated. I knew then I was feeling something for him.

Then when you guys landed the plane, we hugged and just feeling his arms around me felt so right. I couldn't help myself. I grabbed his face and kissed him. It lasted maybe 30 seconds and we broke apart before Trivette saw anything but that was all it took for me. I knew Gage was the one."

"Then why did you wait so long?" Alex asked.

"I needed time to process my feelings. Then when we went to Sage City for the baseball game, he tried to bring it up during our workout. He asked for another kiss and I kicked him."

"You kicked him?"

"It was a reflex. I didn't mean it but I really thought I had blown everything between us. Then we found out you were pregnant and shortly after that, we went undercover with the Raptors. We shared another kiss during that assignment."

"Another kiss?"

"Yeah, but it confused me. I never knew if Gage kissed me or is Nail kissed Ronnie," Sydney said using their undercover names.

"But something had to have changed?"

"When he lost his hearing. I knew I couldn't wait forever to tell him so I didn't. After he had the surgery, I made my confession to him in the hospital. To this day, I still don't know if he heard me but I had to tell him."

"What did you tell him?" Erika asked, coming out of the dressing room. She had on a lavender colored sleeveless dress that was floor length with a trail of buttons on the back. No wonder it had taken her so long to get it on.

"I told Gage that I loved his voice. I still love his voice. I also told him that I couldn't wait to hear his voice every morning and that I wish he was there with me at night."

"What did Gage say?" Erika asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

"I have no idea if he heard me. After I made my confession, I commented on the holes in his socks and he rolled over to tell me they were his favorite socks. He always made it seem like he heard me but he never said anything."

"Then what happened?" Erika asked. It occurred to Sydney that she never really shared much about her relationship with Gage to either woman.

"We did that charity ride with Trivette and came across that horrible vampire movie. We didn't realize it was a movie when we saw them burst out of the bank and Trivette ended up spraining the male lead's ankle. Gage got suckered into being his stunt double and then I got roped into being the female lead's stunt double. We had this one scene to do together where I had to be on the back of Gage's bike and he commented how much he liked having me there. I knew that was his way of telling me he felt something."

"That's so sweet. You guys were literally made for each other," Erika commented. She turned to face the other ladies. "So is this okay?"

"It's perfect. Now Alex needs to find something," Sydney said, prodding her friend.

"I just loved hearing your story. Gage has always been such a private person and to hear all this just makes him seem more normal," Alex said as she selected a pale pink dress. She disappeared into the dressing room, coming back moments later.

"I love this one."

"So do I," Sydney said.

"Great. Now we should get back to the ranch. We've left Gage alone with the contractor and I want to make sure Sydney's home actually gets built."

Together the women left the shop with the two girls in tow and headed back to the ranch.


	5. Chapter 5

A little over a week had gone by and construction on the house was well underway. The foundation had been poured, well and septic had been installed, the entire house had been framed, sheet rocked and insulated. According to the contractor's estimates, another week to week and a half, the house would be finished and Gage and Sydney could move in.

Everyone pitched in on the house. Alex and Erika were there every day working as were Sydney and Gage. Walker had given then some time off to complete the house, bringing in a couple junior rangers from another company to pick up the slack. Walker and Trivette were there on their days off from work as well as the construction team.

Andie had started daycare at the H.O.P.E. center and was quickly making friends. Every day that she came home, she would tell Gage and Sydney about a new friend she had made, one of them even being a little boy named Drew. Gage groaned when he heard she was making friends with a boy, but Sydney had told him it was only going to get worse as Andie got older. He groaned at that thought too.

One day, the crew was working hard and Sydney thought it would be the perfect time to call her father. She had been keeping in touch with her mother throughout the whole house building but her father still didn't know about Gage, Andie, the engagement or the house. It was time she put on her big girl panties and told her father what was going on.

"Are you sure you want to call him now?" Gage asked her, as they sat on the big rock near the house with their lunches.

"I need to tell him, Gage. This isn't fair to him."

"I know. Maybe I should call him."

"Gage, you can talk to him when I'm done. I need to be the one to tell him about us and everything else."

"Syd…."

"Gage, trust me. You can talk to him when I'm done," Sydney insisted.

"Okay," was all he said, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

Sydney took out her phone and dialed her parents' number. It rang and rang, maybe he wasn't home. But then he answered.

" _Hello?_ "

"Daddy?"

" _Sydney! What a surprise. It's been so long since you called._ "

"I know Daddy and I'm sorry. There's just been so much going on."

" _I know what you mean. I got a promotion at work and I've been taking extra shifts. Your mother has been doing well; she has joined a book club with Mrs. Drummond and Mrs. Guthrie down the street._ "

"That's great news Daddy. I'm so proud of you and of Mom. But there's actually a reason I called."

" _What is it Sydney?_ "

"Well…." Sydney started but she was nervous. This was her father, she was his little girl and she was about to tell him about the new main man in her life.

" _Who is he Sydney?_ " came Joseph Cooke's voice.

"Who's who Daddy?"

" _The man you don't want to tell me about._ "

"How did you know?"

" _Your tone is the same tone your mother had when she told your grandparents about me._ "

"I'm just surprised you're not mad."

" _Sydney, all I've ever wanted is you to be happy._ "

"Thanks Daddy, but there's more."

" _Okay. Go ahead._ "

"Well the guy in my life is my partner."

" _Francis?_ "

"Yes, he prefers to be called Gage."

" _I remember meeting him when your mother and I came to visit last year._ "

Sydney took a deep breath. "Gage has asked me to marry him and I said yes," she got out in one breath. The line was quiet. "Daddy?"

" _Sydney, is Francis there?_ "

"Yes."

" _May I speak to him please?_ "

"Why?" Sydney asked.

" _Sydney, give Francis the phone._ "

Reluctantly, Sydney handed the phone to Gage. He took it as he kissed her cheek.

"Hello?"

" _Francis._ "

"Mr. Cooke."

" _If you're man enough to ask my daughter to marry you, you're man enough to call me Joe._ "

"Okay Joe."

" _Is there anything you'd like to say to me before I start?_ "

"Just that I love your daughter, Joe, and I intend to make her happy for the rest of our lives. I wish I had done this properly and had been able to ask your permission before asking Sydney, but the time was right and I refuse to apologize for that. Nobody has ever meant more to my than Sydney does and I'm looking forward to spending my life with her."

The line went quiet again, but Gage could hear breathing on the other end. Sydney just stared at him after he made his speech, knowing he probably angered her father. If they couldn't get Joseph Cooke's blessing, Gage feared, Sydney wouldn't marry him.

"Joe?"

" _You know, I considered Sydney to by my little girl. She will always be my little girl, no matter what other man she has in her life. The one thing I knew was she was going to need someone as stubborn and mule-headed as she is to balance her out. She was going to need someone who could stand up to her, not back down when she gets angry. Sydney has my temper; it comes from our Latin heritage. I think Sydney has finally found that man._ "

"What are you saying Joe?" Gage asked.

" _I'm saying I can respect you more as a man now based on how you presented yourself to me. It would've been better if we had done this face to face but I can say that you have my permission to marry Sydney._ "

"Thank you Joe."

" _Just don't hurt her, Francis. You might be a Texas Ranger, but I'm her father. You hurt Sydney and nothing can protect you._ "

"I can assure you that won't happen."

" _It better not. I have several rifles registered to me, just so you're aware._ "

"I understand."

" _I think you'll understand more when you and Sydney have children. When you have a daughter of your own, you know what I mean._ "

"I already do."

" _What do you mean? Did you get my daughter pregnant before you married her?_ "

"No sir. I recently found out I had a daughter I didn't know about."

" _Francis, I think Michelle and I should come to Dallas._ "

"We were hoping to have you both out in a couple weeks, that's when we're planning to get married. Right now, we're in the process of building our home."

" _You're building a home?_ "

"Yes, some friends of ours offered us land as a wedding present and they've offered to help us build our home. We wanted to get it done before the wedding and before your visit."

" _Michelle and I would like to help. We're going to try and get a flight to Dallas tonight or tomorrow. It would be nice if both you and Sydney could meet us at the airport. Oh, and bring your daughter. We'd like to meet her. Of course, I'm going to have to explain all this to Michelle._ "

"Maybe Sydney could talk to her," Gage said, knowing full well that Michelle already knew about Andie.

" _If you're sure._ "

"I am. Thanks a lot Joe. This means a lot."

" _I will call Sydney with our flight information. It will be good to see you both, Francis._ "

"That it will. Goodbye Joe."

Gage hung up the phone and handed it back to Sydney.

"Everything okay?" she asked him.

"You're parents are coming now. Your dad says he's looking for a flight out either tonight or tomorrow. They want to help us with the house."

"And what about Andie?"

"He didn't really say."

"What did he say to you?"

"He wanted me to know that he has several registered rifles and being a Texas Ranger couldn't save me if I hurt you."

"You don't have to worry about him if you hurt me, you'd have to worry about me," she said with a laugh.

"Don't I know it? Come on, let's get back to work. Your dad is going to call with the flight information later."

Standing up, the young couple went back to work on their dream home, a new sense of family and security overcoming them.

The next day, Gage, Sydney and Andie went to DFW to meet Joe and Michelle Cooke. Their flight from San Antonio was getting in at 12:35pm and Gage was sweating bullets as they parked the car. Sydney took Andie's hand as they got out of the car.

"Who are we meeting Daddy?" Andie asked her father.

"Syd's parents."

"What do I call them?" Andie asked.

"My dad's name is Joe and my mom's name is Michelle," Sydney told her.

"Are they my nana and papa?"

"I guess they will be once Daddy and I get married," Sydney said.

"Oh, okay."

They went inside to wait outside the gate for Joe and Michelle.

Sydney recognized them right away calling out to them. They quickly walked over and gave Sydney a big hug. Sydney just wrapped her arms around her father and held him tight. Far too much time had gone by since she had seen them last and with her new family growing; she hoped their visits would be far more frequent now.

"Daddy, Mom, this is Francis Gage and his daughter Andie," Sydney said making introductions. "Gage, Andie, these are my parents Joe and Michelle."

"It's nice to see you again Francis," Joe said, extending his hand to Gage. The two men shook hands as Michelle leaned up to press a kiss to Gage's cheek.

"It's great to see you both."

"This must be the famous Andie I've heard so much about," Michelle said, stooping down in front of the little blonde girl.

"Uh-huh."

"We have something for you," Michelle said, withdrawing a package and handing it to her. She opened it up and saw a beautiful gold locket inside.

"This is pretty."

"What do you say Andie?" her father prodded.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. We thought you might like to get a picture of your Daddy and Sydney to put inside."

"Can we Daddy?" Andie asked.

"Sure we can. Joe, can I help with the luggage?" Gage asked.

"All we have are our carry-ons. I've got it Francis, but thank you."

"Then let's go. Our friends Alex and Walker have offered their guest room for you guys," Sydney said to her parents.

"They don't have to do that. We could find a hotel," Michelle was saying.

"Alex insisted. They're the ones who gave us the land to build our home. I can't wait for you to see it, Mom. It's coming along so well," Sydney said, taking her mother's arm. The two women chatted the whole way to the car and Joe loaded the bags in the trunk. Gage got Andie into her seat and everyone else piled in. Gage fired up the engine and they headed for Walker Ranch.

Arriving at the ranch, everyone went inside where Alex was getting lunch on the table. Everyone else was there; Walker, Trivette and Erika. Gage brought in the luggage as Sydney took Andie's hand, leading the way for her parents.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet my parents, Joseph and Michelle Cooke. Mom and Dad, these are our friends Jimmy Trivette and his wife Erika and Cordell Walker and his wife Alex. He actually prefers to be called Walker," Sydney told her dad, pointing at Walker.

"It's nice to meet you all," Joe said.

"You have a lovely home," Michelle added.

"Thank you," Alex said. "Lunch is ready if everyone else is."

"Oh you didn't have to go to so much trouble," Michelle said.

"It's no trouble. We were all taking a break anyways from working on the house. After lunch, we'll all go down so you can see what we've got done," Alex said.

Everyone sat around the table and Sydney couldn't help but chuckle as she watched Gage load his plate with a generous helping of ham and potato salad.

"What?" he asked, looking at her.

"Nothing honey. Just another reason I love you," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Everyone else laughed as they could all remember Gage's insatiable appetite.

After lunch, they all began the walk down to the house. Sydney couldn't believe it when she saw it, they had gotten so much more done after Gage and Sydney left the night before.

"How late were you guys working last night?" she asked her friends.

"Well into the evening," Trivette said.

"We wanted to get it ready for paint as soon as possible," Erika added.

"I can't believe you guys would do all this for us," Gage said.

"Of course we would. You guys are family," Alex said, hugging both Gage and Sydney.

"Aunt Alex, where's my room going to be?" Andie asked.

"That's up to your daddy and Sydney."

"We'll let you pick out your room first," Gage said.

"Thanks Daddy."

"This home is beautiful, Sydney," Michelle said, leading Sydney away from the group.

"Thanks Mom. It's everything I ever wanted. Gage has truly made all my dreams come true."

"You're not the least bit concerned about the girl's mother?" Michelle asked.

"No. She's going to go away for a long time. Alex will make sure of it."

"What does Alex have to do with anything?"

"Alex is ADA of Tarrant County. That's how she met Walker and it took them seven years to get to the altar. I didn't want that to be the case with Gage and me. I love him Mom and I can't wait to be his wife."

"You sound like I did when I married your father. I couldn't wait to be his wife either."

"Gage is one hell of a guy, Mom."

"I can see that in your eyes."

"Hey you hens done cackling over there? We got a house to finish," Joe called out to his wife and daughter. Sydney spun around.

"Did you just call me a hen?"

"It's a term of endearment sweetheart," Joe said to his daughter, walking over to kiss the top of her head.

Everyone started laughing as Sydney couldn't come up with a good comeback for her father and then they all went back to work.

That night, after arriving at home, it took next to nothing to put Andie to sleep. She had almost fallen asleep twice in the car. Gage just carried her inside, laid her on her bed and pulled the covers around her. Kissing her forehead, he took off in search of Sydney.

He walked into the bedroom but didn't see her. He did, however, hear the shower running and saw the tiny line of light coming from the bathroom door. Unbuttoning his shirt, he headed for the bathroom.

Inside the door, he found the counter covered with scented candles. He knew Sydney liked to have candles to relax in the evenings, although that was usually when she took a long soak in the tub. Tonight she opted for a shower instead of a soak and Gage could still smell the vanilla body wash as she lathered herself. He slowly shed the rest of his clothes before opening the shower door.

Sydney leaned against the shower wall, her head resting on her arms. Gage reached out and began to massage her shoulders.

"That feels amazing," Sydney murmured to him.

"I aim to please," Gage said as he leaned over to kiss her neck and shoulder. He heard Sydney's breath catch in her throat as she began to respond to his movements. He slid his hand around her to cup her breast, his fingers playing with the hard nub. Slowly, he brought his other hand around the other side, giving both breasts the same satisfaction.

Sydney leaned back into him, his lips going to her neck and her arms went over her head to go around his neck. He could feel the goosebumps on her skin as he toyed and teased her breasts.

"God, Gage," was all she could say.

He turned her around in his arms to face him, his head leaning down towards hers. His lips began to search out hers and his tongue demanded access, teasing against her bottom lip. She gently parted her lips and he feasted on her mouth.

Sydney slowly slid her arms around his waist, rubbing up his back before coming to rest on his backside. Her fingers danced across him, the light moves tickling him. He slid his hands down her back, coming to rest under her thighs and lifting her from the shower floor. Sydney wrapped her legs around him as she could feel the warmth spreading inside of her. It was more than warmth, it was a tingling sensation that she knew he was the only one who could satisfy within her.

"Gage, I want you now," she purred into his ear and his hands found their way to her waist. Holding firmly onto her like one would a steering wheel of a car; he helped guide her onto him.

Backing her up against the shower wall, he began with slow but gentle thrusts into her. Her head began to roll back to rest against the wall and she closed her eyes, the feelings of ecstasy he was unleashing in her were overwhelming. Gage could feel her nails as they dug into his shoulders and that just increased his passion for her.

Sydney could feel as he start to let himself go, his hips moving faster in an almost frantic pace. She wrapped her legs even tighter around him, trying to bring herself closer to him, wanting to feel him deeper inside of her. She slowly began to squirm against him; her breathing became quicken as she almost reached her peak. A wave of intense satisfaction swept over her and she could feel herself release against him. A moment later, Gage felt his own pressure release as he clung to her. Together they slumped against the wall, holding on to each other trying to catch their breath.

"God I love you Syd," he murmured against her face as he leaned in to nuzzle her neck.

"I love you too, Gage."

"I'll always love you."

"I hope so. Marriage is a forever kinda thing."

"I just want to be the perfect husband for you."

"You already are. You're a wonderful husband and father. All we need to do is make it official."

"And in a week or two, we will."

He kissed her again and she began to unwind herself from him. She slowly slid down his front and he opened the shower door. First he grabbed her a towel for her hair and another for her body before grabbing one for himself.

Sydney slipped from the bathroom into the bedroom and went to Gage's dresser. She opened the drawer, pulled out a shirt and slipped it over her head. She took her place in the bed and waited for him.

He came out a moment later after he toweled off his head and went to get a pair of boxers before joining her in the bed. Sliding to the center, he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. She placed a kiss on his chest, above his heart, before looking in his eyes.

"I'll never forget the first night you held me in your arms. Feeling so safe and loved and protected. I knew I was destined to spend my life with you."

"I know what you mean. So much has gone wrong in my life and it took all that wrong to bring me to you. I would love to go back in time and change some things that happened in my life, but if that meant I'd lose you, I wouldn't change a thing." He kissed her again and then she settled comfortably against him.

Sydney was almost asleep as she heard Gage say her name.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"Think we could have that talk now?"

"What talk?"

"About our future kids."

"What about it?" she asked.

"How many were you planning on?"

"Maybe two. I mean, I always wanted a big family but I wasn't sure how many you wanted."

"Truth be told, I never thought about having kids. I didn't want to put a child through what Julie and I went through. But then, when I started developing my feelings for you, I could see us with a kid, maybe two. Then finding out about Andie completely threw me for a loop. I just want us to be on the same page as far as the kid thing goes."

"Gage, even if you didn't want any more kids, I would still be with you. I told you before, nothing is going to tear us apart. But I'm glad to hear you say you'd like another one."

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Good. Now can we go to sleep?" she asked him.

"Sure Shorty."

Together they cuddle under the blanket and drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

The phone was ringing off the hook as Gage reached over to grab it. He glanced at the clock; it read 6:59am. Shaking the sleep from his eyes, he answered the phone.

" _THIS IS A COLLECT CALL FROM THE DALLAS DETENTION CENTER FROM INMATE NUMBER 3225. DO YOU ACCEPT THE CHARGES?_ "

"Sure."

The line made a weird buzzing noise as Gage tried to figure out who would be calling him from the Dallas Detention Center. He put two and two together as he heard the familiar voice.

" _Darling, how is our baby girl?_ " Hilary said from the other end of the line.

"Why are you calling me? How did you even get this number?" Gage demanded as Sydney began to stir beside him. She sat up in the bed next to him and listened.

" _It took some time and a few favors, but I needed to talk to you. Gage, darling, this is all a mistake. You must tell them it's a mistake. I should be with you and our daughter._ "

"You are exactly where you belong. You have no business calling me."

" _You have our daughter, like it or not I am her mother. We will forever be connected through her._ "

"You might be her biological mother, but you won't raise her. Andie will be raised by Sydney and me."

" _That little bitch has nothing to say regarding my daughter. She isn't her mother and never will be._ "

"This is exactly why you will not see Andie again. I'll make sure of that."

" _Gage, please, you have to get me out of here. We deserve to be a family, like we should've been all along. Everything got all messed up because of HER._ "

"Nothing got messed up because of Sydney…" Gage started to say but Sydney grabbed the phone from him.

"If you ever call here again, contact Gage, Andie or myself in any way, I will have you slapped with a restraining order so fast your head will spin. Stay away from us, you've done enough damage."

" _You can't do that, Andrea is my daughter. She'll never be yours._ "

"This conversation is over." Sydney hung up the phone and Gage placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine. We should talk to Alex about that restraining order. I meant what I said Gage, I don't want her to be able to contact us."

"Okay, when we get to the ranch, we can ask Alex."

"Good, let's get going then."

They got up from the bed and got dressed for the day. Gage went to make coffee while Sydney went to wake up Andie. The little girl woke up with no issues and got dressed. Gage and Sydney each had a cup of coffee while Andie ate her Cheerio's. Then they left for the Walker Ranch.

Alex was in the kitchen making her own coffee when she heard the car in the driveway. Glancing at the clock, only 2 people could be at her house at 7:42 in the morning. She met Gage and Sydney on the porch.

"Everything okay?" she asked her friends.

"No. Andie, why don't you go inside and play for a bit? Daddy and I need to talk to Aunt Alex alone."

"Okay Syd," Andie said as she disappeared into the house. Sydney then turned to face Alex.

"What's going on?" Alex asked.

"Hilary called the apartment this morning," Gage said.

"How?"

"Using the phone," Gage said matter-of-factly.

"I know that. How did she get your phone number?" Alex asked.

"Don't know. She said it took some time and some favors," Gage replied.

"Alex, can you get us a restraining order against her?" Sydney asked.

"I can try; it might be hard to do since she still has rights over Andie."

"Can we get them severed?" Gage asked. Both women looked at him in surprise.

"You want to sever her rights?" Sydney asked.

"Are you sure Gage?" Alex asked.

"Look, if she goes to jail for the rest of her life, I don't want to be forced to bring Andie in to see her for visits. Jail is no place for a kid. If her rights got terminated, Syd could formally adopt her and be her mother. We could get Hilary out of our lives. I mean, if that's okay with you Syd," Gage said, looking at her.

"You'd really want me to be her mother?"

"Of course."

"Can you do it Alex?" Sydney asked, turning to the ADA.

"I can try. Judges usually aren't quick to terminate a mother's rights to her children but I might be able to find one who can help. It might be best to file after the trial though. That's coming up next week and you'll both be expected to be there. Gage, you're going to have to testify and so are you, Sydney. If she gets the full sentence on all counts, she could be looking at life. Once that happens, it might be easier for a judge to terminate rights. There is another way that I might be able to get rights terminated, if we could show Hilary has a history of hurting people," Alex said, looking at Gage.

"You want me to talk about what happened to me, don't you?" he asked.

"It could help. It might just show the judge that Hilary is unstable and clearly abusive to people she claims to care about. We could have it done behind closed doors with just you, the judge and myself."

"I knew this was going to keep coming back to bite me. I wish it never happened," Gage said, covering his face with his hands and slumping down against the porch railing.

"Wish what never happened?" Joe Cooke asked as he stepped on the porch with Michelle. Gage looked at Sydney and then her parents. It was time they knew what really happened and how Andie came to be.

"Alex can you give us a few minutes with my parents? Sydney asked.

"Sure. I'll go keep Andie company. Come in when you're ready," Alex replied, disappearing back in the house. Sydney motioned for her parents to sit on the swing as she and Gage took seats across from them.

"It's time we told you the truth about Andie," Sydney started.

"What about her?" Michelle asked.

"Is she yours, Sydney?" Joe asked.

"No she's not. She is Gage's daughter."

"Then what's with the secrecy?" Michelle asked.

"Andie was conceived through a sexual assault against me," Gage said quietly.

Joe and Michelle just looked at each other. Did Gage, their future son-in-law, really just say that?

"What do you mean a sexual assault?" Joe asked.

Gage took a deep breath and Sydney placed her hands in his as he began.

"I met Andie's mother when I worked in Houston. I never really wanted to have any kind of relationship with her, but she pursued me aggressively. I finally agreed to take her to dinner and a movie. During the movie, she drugged my drink and when we got back to her apartment, she took advantage of me. Because of that night, she got pregnant and that resulted in Andie. I didn't know anything about it until we got back from an assignment and Syd's apartment was trashed."

"Your apartment was trashed? Were you okay?" Michelle asked her daughter.

"Yes, Mom. I wasn't home when it happened. But we didn't know who was targeting me and Gage offered to let me crash on his couch until we solved the case. But the next morning, someone had delivered roses and a dead rat to his place. Walker told us to go to a safe house when he and Trivette worked to find out who did it."

"It was in the safe house that Sydney and I confessed our feelings for each other. But Andie's mother found us because she had gotten a job working for Walker. She came to the safe house, hell-bent on getting me back and killing Syd," Gage said.

"It takes more than the likes of her to keep me down," Sydney retorted. "We eventually were able to subdue her and she was taken into custody. Then Gage found out about Andie. We went to the hospital to get a DNA test, just to be sure and then the rest is history," Sydney finished.

Joe and Michelle sat there, shell-shocked at what they had just learned. When Sydney had decided to join the rangers, she made a promise to her parents that she would never tell them about any of the dangerous assignments she had, but this time it was different. They could've lost their daughter because of some crazy maniac.

"Where is this woman now?" Joe asked.

"She's at the Dallas Detention Center awaiting trial," Sydney said.

"Will she be going to jail?" Michelle asked.

"Yes," Gage replied.

"Alex will make sure of it," Sydney added.

"For how long?" Joe asked.

"Most likely for the rest of her life. I've asked Alex to look into getting her parental rights terminated and for Syd to formally adopt Andie," Gage said.

Joe was quiet as he took in the information. He studied Gage's face; the strong lines of his jaw as he had it clenched, the fierce determination in his eyes, the way he gripped onto Sydney's hand. He saw so much of himself in the young ranger and he was proud of call this man his son-in-law.

Finally he spoke. "How can we help?"

After a long day's work on the house, Erika and Trivette were getting ready to head home. Erika wasn't feeling well, but Trivette knew something was going on with the rest of the group and he offered to take Andie to his place for a little bit. Gage and Sydney would pick her up after their discussion.

They sat around the kitchen table; Alex, Walker, Joe, Michelle, Sydney and Gage. Angela was upstairs, asleep in her crib and Alex had just finished handing out the mugs of coffee.

"What is the next step?" Joe asked.

"Trial begins Wednesday of next week. If you want to try and terminate rights before that, I'll have to file a meeting for Monday," Alex said to Gage.

"And you think if I tell a judge what Hilary did to me, he will agree to terminate?" Gage asked.

"Should I be there too?" Sydney asked.

"Might not be a bad idea," Walker said to his wife.

"Actually, that's the other thing I wanted to tell you. It might also help your case if you guys were married when I file."

"So if you're going to file for Monday, we would need to get married by this weekend," Sydney said.

"Correct. The house is just about done, we'll do the painting tomorrow and it should ready to start moving stuff in by Friday," Alex said, taking her seat beside Walker.

"I can help you pack the apartment," Michelle said to her daughter.

"Thanks Mom. Maybe we can do that tomorrow while you guys finish?" Sydney asked Gage.

"Sounds like a plan. So the wedding will be Saturday?" he asked.

"If this is really what you guys want," Walker said.

"There's no need to rush, but we understand your concerns," Alex added.

"If this can get Hilary out of our lives and Andie's life, then let's do it," Sydney said as she took Gage's hand.

"I will call Judge Steinman in the morning and see if he will take the meeting. He helped with the injunction so he knows a bit of what's going on," Alex replied.

"What else can we be doing?" Joe asked. He hated feeling useless.

"Just be ready to walk your daughter down the aisle on Saturday," Walker said.

"I couldn't think of a better person to give her too than Francis," he said as he smiled at the young couple.

"Thanks Daddy," Sydney replied, getting up to kiss her father's cheek.

"I need to call Julie and tell her the wedding is Saturday," Gage said.

"You can do that when we get home," Sydney told him.

"Then we should get going. We still have to stop and get Andie from Trivette's. Good night everyone, we'll see you in the morning," Gage said as he stood and helped Sydney from her chair. They called goodnight to everyone and headed for their car.

Over at the Trivette house, Jimmy was sitting down with Andie on his lap and watching some cartoon on TV. Erika had just finished clearing up from supper when she felt a wave of nausea hit her. She ran for the bathroom and; hearing her; Jimmy slid off the couch and followed.

"Everything okay?" he called through the door.

"I can't be getting the flu now. Sydney and Gage are depending on us finishing that house and getting them married.

"Maybe you should take tomorrow off and go see the doctor?"

"Maybe." The toilet flushed and Erika walked out, wiping her mouth with a wet cloth. "Have you heard from Gage or Sydney about when they're coming to get Andie?"

"He called a few minutes ago. Said they're on their way."

"Any idea what the big pow-wow was at the ranch tonight?"

"Nope, but I'm sure they'll tell us when they're ready."

The doorbell rang. "Must be Gage and Sydney," Erika said, walking for the door. Jimmy helped Andie get her shoes and coat on as Erika let them inside.

"I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Gage said, noticing Erika looked pale.

"She was fine. Ate a nice hearty dinner too," Jimmy said.

"You didn't have to feed her dinner," Sydney said.

"It was no bother. We don't mind," Jimmy said. He glanced at Erika. "Why don't you go lay down honey? I'll be in in a few minutes."

"Okay, goodnight guys." Erika disappeared down the hall. Gage and Sydney looked at Jimmy.

"Is she okay?" Sydney asked.

"She thinks she might have the flu," Jimmy stated.

"I hope not. We need you both this weekend," Gage said.

"What's happening this weekend?" Jimmy asked.

"Gage and I are getting married on Saturday."

"Why the rush?"

"We'll explain later, just be ready for Saturday," Gage said as she scooped Andie up in his arms.

"Erika is going to be taking tomorrow off. She needs to go to the doctor," Jimmy told Sydney.

"Just tell her to get better soon and we hope to see you both on Saturday," Sydney said, giving Jimmy a peck on the cheek and walking out the door.

When they got home, Gage got Andie into her pajamas and into bed. Sydney made them both a sandwich and they went into their bedroom. Sydney sat on the bed while Gage called his sister.

" _Hello?_ "

"Jules?"

" _Hey Francis. How's everything going?_ "

"Good. Listen, I need you in Dallas this weekend."

" _Everything okay?_ "

"Yeah, Syd and I are getting married on Saturday and I want you here."

" _Of course little brother. I told you I would be there._ "

"Good. See you then."

" _Bye Francis._ "

"Bye Jules."

Gage hung up the phone and turned to Sydney. "She'll be here."

"Good. Want your sandwich?"

"Syd, who are you talking to here?" Gage asked and Sydney laughed as she handed him his plate.

Julie hung up the phone and looked out her window. Her little brother was getting married in a few days and she couldn't be happier for him. She liked Sydney and knew how good she was for her brother.

A voice spoke behind her. "Was that your brother?"

"Yes. His wedding is Saturday. I need to get to Dallas."

"I'd like to come with you."

"I don't know Francis' wedding doesn't seem like the greatest time to introduce you guys."

"I have to meet him sooner or later. Why not at a wedding?"

Julie thought it over for a minute before answering. "Okay. Let me get everything squared away at work and we'll leave on Friday. "

"Can't wait."

The next morning, everyone met at Walker Ranch with the exception of Erika. Jimmy said she wanted to get to the doctor's first thing. Walker, Joe, Jimmy and Gage headed down to the Gage house to get started while Michelle, Alex and Sydney got in the car to go back to the apartment to get it packed up. There was a lot to get done in the next couple days.

Erika showed up at the Gage house about an hour later. She ran inside the house.

"Jimmy!"

"Erika?" he called out as he came out from Andie's bedroom. He was covered head to toe in bright pink paint.

"Jimmy, I have to tell you something!"

Jimmy came running down the stairs and brought Erika into his arms. "What's wrong?'

"Jimmy, I'm pregnant!"

Trivette's mouth dropped open as he stared at his wife. "What did you just say?'

"I'm pregnant! Doctor says about 4 weeks."

"Oh God Erika! Yes!" Jimmy said as he swooped Erika into a hug. Everyone else came running over to see what was going on.

"Trivette, everything okay?" Walker asked.

"Erika is pregnant!"

"Congratulations," everyone said as they began to hug the happy couple. Gage was the last one to hug Erika and Trivette as he felt a pang of jealousy. He couldn't wait to start a family with Sydney and now his friends were starting their own. It quickly subsided as he flashed his trademark grin.

"This is wonderful news Erika."

"Thanks Gage. Don't worry; I will be there for the wedding."

"Erika, maybe you should get out of here with all the fumes," Walker said.

"I'm going home, I just had to stop and tell Jimmy."

Erika kissed her husband and he led her back out to her car. They spent a few more minutes saying goodbye at the car before Trivette headed back inside.

"Wow, a baby. I can't believe this," he said as he went back upstairs.

"Congrats man. This is exciting news," Gage said.

"Being a father is a wonderful experience," Walker added.

"Makes me think back to when Sydney was born," Joe noted. Everyone looked at the older man.

"What was Syd like as a baby?" Gage asked his soon-to-be father-in-law.

"Sydney was the most beautiful baby. She looked just like her mother, those dark eyes and a headful of dark hair. She hardly ever fussed but if she didn't like something, she made sure you knew it."

"That sounds like Syd," Gage said with a laugh.

"She sure was a handful growing up too, always reading crime novels and acting more like a boy than a girl. I remember the first time Michelle and I got called down to the school because Sydney had punched a boy in the nose."

"Sydney punched another kid?" Walker asked, intrigued.

"In all fairness, the boy was antagonizing her and another young girl and Sydney was just standing up for them. Boy wasn't the boy's father angry to find out my little girl broke his son's nose. But that was when we realized that Sydney was special and we got her in self-defense classes. She told us that she was going to be a Texas Ranger someday and I guess her wish came true."

"How old was Sydney when she punched the boy?" Trivette asked.

"Twelve."

"I can picture her being such a spitfire at twelve," Gage said.

"Remember that when you and Sydney start a family," Joe said.

"Thanks," Gage said dryly as he thought about raising another spitfire like Sydney.

"Come on guys, back to work," Walker said, heading back to the bathroom to paint.

At the Gage apartment, the women were just about finished getting all the big stuff packed up and went to work on the little stuff. Michelle and Alex were working in the living room while Sydney packed up the kitchen.

"Ugh! I can't believe some of the things Gage keeps in here!" Sydney exclaimed from the kitchen. Her mother glanced up and laughed. She remembered saying the same things when she married Joe.

"Sydney, every man has things that his wife hates. Your father did and once I finished weeding everything out, we basically had to start all over again," Michelle said.

"She's right, Syd. When I moved into the ranch with Walker, I had to beg him to let me do a little redecorating. The first thing to go was this "manly" lamp he said he couldn't live without. Needless to say, it's gone now," Alex added.

"Maybe Gage won't notice if his collection of bikini clad women plates are just missing when we're unpacking," Sydney said with a chuckle.

"Oh trust me, he'd notice," Alex said, laughing. Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Alex Cahill-Walker."

" _Alex? It's me, Erika._ "

"How was your doctor's appointment?" Alex asked as she turned to the other ladies. "It's Erika."

" _It was fine. I'm not sick, I'm pregnant!_ "

"Oh Erika, that's wonderful. I'm with Sydney and Michelle, do you mind if I tell them?"

" _No, go ahead._ "

"Erika just found out she's pregnant," Alex told Sydney and Michelle.

"That's amazing. Tell her I said congrats," Sydney said.

"Yes, congratulations," Michelle added.

"They both send their congrats."

" _I couldn't believe it when the doctor told me._ "

"Have you told Jimmy?"

" _I stopped by the house on my way home from the doctor's. He was covered in pink paint from Andie's bedroom._ "

"That sounds like Jimmy. I remember when he helped CD paint those outhouses. He was covered in green paint and CD was covered in white."

" _The doctor said I'm about 4 weeks. She told me to come straight home and rest but I should be fine to be in the wedding this weekend. Do you know why Sydney and Gage are getting married so soon?_ "

"We can talk about that later. I'm just so happy for you."

" _Thanks. I can't wait to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl._ "

"I couldn't wait either, but I wanted Walker to be surprised."

" _I don't know if Jimmy could wait that long._ "

"Well, we won't keep you. We're almost finished packing up Gage's apartment and then we're going over to the house and meet the guys."

" _Okay. I'll talk to you later._ "

"Bye." Alex hung up the phone and turned back to Sydney and Michelle. "I can't believe Erika is pregnant. As far as I know, she and Jimmy weren't even trying."

"Well it can happen anytime," Michelle said. "I know that for a fact."

"I wasn't planned?" Sydney asked her mother.

"You were a welcomed surprise."

"Oh gee, thanks Mom."

"Just wanted to make sure you were aware that babies can be created at any time, whether you're trying or not."

"I know that, Mom."

"Then I trust you and Francis are being careful?" Michelle asked her daughter.

"Mother!"

"It's a simple question. You can't honestly expect me to believe you and Francis aren't intimate already. Just don't tell your father."

"Are you kidding? Daddy would kill Gage if he knew."

"So you are being intimate?" Michelle asked.

"Do you promise not to tell Daddy?"

"Of course, I've been your confidante for years, Sydney."

"Yes we are."

"Sydney, I thought you and Gage would've waited?" Alex asked.

"I couldn't wait any longer."

"When was the first time?" Alex asked.

"The night my apartment was trashed, after we got to his place. I just needed him and that was the night he told me he loved me."

"That's so sweet," Michelle said.

"Yeah, it was. I told him I loved him too."

"And now you're going to be Mrs. Gage."

"Well at the office, I will still be Sydney Cooke. I think it would be easier that way so people wouldn't confuse that Ranger Gage with this Ranger Gage," Sydney said, chuckling. "But outside of work, I will be known as Mrs. Gage."

"You could always hyphenate. That's what I did, but most people still call me Mrs. Walker."

"I was always taught to take your husband's last name, but in this day and age, people do a lot of things differently," Michelle said.

"I think we're just about done here, except for our personal items. We'll need those until we move into the new house," Sydney said, looking around.

"Are you going to move everything in before Saturday?" Michelle asked.

"We can start taking boxes over tomorrow, the paint should be dry by then. After the wedding, Gage and I will probably stay at the house for the weekend for our honeymoon. We'll meet you at the courthouse on Monday morning and then get Andie from the H.O.P.E. center."

"Alex, what is this H.O.P.E. center I've been hearing about?" Michelle asked.

"It stands for the Help Our People Excel center. I started it a few years ago. I just felt like there was something more I could be doing with my life, besides working in the DA's office. I wanted to help people be able to get back on their feet, help those who were in need of daycare or who just plainly needed help."

"It sounds like a wonderful place."

"It is. Sydney actually helps out coaching the girls' soccer team."

"Sydney, I didn't know you coached soccer."

"I just wanted to do something to help and I felt this was a good way to donate my time," Sydney said as she taped the last box.

"So that's it?" Alex asked.

"That's it. Let's go see our men," Sydney said as she ushered them out the door.

Back at the ranch, the guys were cooking hamburgers on the grill when the women showed up. They had stopped to pick up Andie on the way back to the ranch and Erika even met them for dinner, finally getting her appetite back. The women all had to laugh, as they saw their men covered in paint.

"So did you paint the house or did the house paint you?" Alex asked as she kissed Walker's cheek.

"Like I told you when I painted Angela's room, this is not my profession."

"At least you know how to get the paint off this time," she said with a laugh.

"Erika, are you sure you're feeling better?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes, I'm starving."

"Good, cause these burgers are going to be delicious," Gage said.

"How many are you going to put on your burger this time?" Sydney teased as everyone remembered the monstrosity of a burger he had built at the cookout when Jimmy and Erika had gotten engaged.

"Very funny, Syd."

"Walker, do you have any guacamole?" Erika asked.

"Cravings kicking in already?" Walker asked.

"Oh Walker, stop that. Erika, I have some in the house. Why don't we go in and throw together a salad to go with the burgers?" Alex asked the women. They all began to head in the house and left the men to their grilling.

Half an hour later, they all sat down to the picnic table and Walker led the evening prayer. Once he had blessed their table, everyone began to dig in. On one side of the table sat Alex, Jimmy, Erika and Michelle and the other side was Sydney, Gage and Andie. Walker and Joe sat at opposite ends of the table. Angela sat in the stroller between her parents as she napped. It was nice to have their whole "family" together.

"I'd like to propose a toast," Walker said as he raised his glass, the others following suit. "To Sydney and Gage, may you both have a lifetime of happiness."

"To Sydney and Gage," the others chorused.

"I'd like to propose a toast to Erika and Trivette, may you both be blessed with a happy and healthy baby," Gage said, raising his glass as did everyone else.

"To Erika and Jimmy."

"I'd also like to thank you all for the help you have given Syd and me over these past couple of weeks. We wouldn't be where we are without you. You are all family to us and we wouldn't have it any other way," Gage said as he put his arm around Sydney.

"Yes, thank you all for helping us. Without you, Gage and I wouldn't have a home to call our own or be on our way to having our family. I can only hope that our marriage will be as wonderful as all of yours are," Sydney added.

Everyone clinked their glasses together as Andie just sighed. Adults sure were weird when they got together for stuff.

After spending two days moving all their stuff into the house, it was starting to feel like home. Everyone had done an amazing job. Sydney was absolutely in love with her kitchen. Since she knew Gage didn't cook much, she wanted to able to teach him some things.

Andie was in love with her room too, Walker had done a great job picking out the paint colors. Gage and Sydney had upgraded her toddler bed to a canopy bed, complete with a pink and white bedding set. Walker had even built her a small table with two chairs for the corner of her room, sort of a welcome home present for her from him and Alex.

Gage had noticed that his plates were missing and Sydney couldn't help but laugh. She simply told him they could go shopping for new dishes after the wedding. Right now, she wanted to focus on the wedding. Julie would be arriving soon and they were supposed to meet her at the airport.

"Guys! We have to get a move on to go get Julie!" Sydney called out.

"Be right there Syd," Andie called from upstairs.

Not hearing Gage, Sydney walked into the study. She found him sitting at the desk, a photo album spread out in front of him. She walked over and perched herself on the corner of the desk.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Oh, sorry Syd. I was just thinking about my parents."

"I know you wish they were here."

"I know my mom would've loved you. She always had a way with people."

"I would've liked to have met them. You know, it might help you some if you talk about them. You really haven't said much over the last couple years."

"There isn't much to tell. They died in some freak car accident. I was only 8 years old. Julie and I ended up in foster care. That's about it."

"But what about before that? You must remember something about them?"

"I remember our last summer together. I wanted a dog so bad and I had my dad pretty well convinced to let me have one but Mom was another story. She and Julie had wanted to get a cat and Mom always had this way of wrapping Dad around her finger."

"Must be a trait among the Gage men," Sydney teased.

"Must be. You've always been able to wrap me around your finger."

"So what happened?"

"We ended up getting a cat and Julie named it Pickles. I was so mad that she got what she wanted just because she was older so when I was coming home from school one day, I saw this poor little stray on the sidewalk."

"Julie didn't walk with you?"

"She did, just usually she and her friends went ahead of me. She didn't want her dorky little brother hanging around all the time. I picked up the stray and put him in my backpack. I hid him in my room once I got home and kept sneaking downstairs to get him something to eat. My mom almost thought I had a tapeworm because she knew I could a lot, but this was a little much even for me."

"Did she find out about the dog?"

"Oh yeah and she was madder than an old wet hen. But I loved that dog. I named him Sport because that's what my dad used to call me. Finally my dad talked my mom into letting me keep him while we looked for an owner. She just didn't know that I went behind my dad and pulled down all the missing dog posters he posted."

"What happened to Sport?"

"After Mom and Dad died, Julie and I were placed in our first foster care group home. I begged and begged them to let me bring Sport with me; he was the only thing I had left. But they said they had enough to worry about without looking after some mutt. Julie couldn't bring her cat either. I think the police turned them into the pound."

"Is that why you want to get Andie a puppy?"

"It's as much for her as it is for me. In the short time I had him, Sport became my best friend. I could tell him everything and after losing my parents, he was who I wanted to turn too. Life is not an infinite thing and sometimes everything can be a little easier with a pet. I would never want Andie to feel alone."

"Then we should start looking for a puppy. I don't want her to be alone either."

Gage just looked at his fiancé and smiled. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You must've been a very good boy in another life. But we need to get a move on. Julie's plane is landing soon and you know how she'll be if we're late picking her up."

"Then let's get going. Where's Andie?"

"Right here Daddy. Are you always late?" the three year old asked.

"She's got you there, Francis," Sydney teased.

"Let's go!" Gage led everyone out of the house and into the car before heading to Dallas/Fort Worth airport.

The airport was crowded, like it usually is on Friday afternoons. Gage held tightly onto Andie's hand to make sure she didn't get lost or separated from him. He had told her they were coming to pick up her aunt, someone she didn't know. It made her a little nervous.

"What if she doesn't like me Daddy?" Andie asked.

"Aunt Jules will love you," Gage assured her.

"I thought her name was Julie."

"It is. I call her Jules; I've called her that since we were kids."

"Is she older than you Daddy?"

"Yeah, by a couple years."

"What does she look like Daddy?"

"She's blonde and has blue eyes, just like we do. She and I got our looks from our mom even though a lot of people say I look like my dad."

"Where are your mommy and daddy?"

"In Heaven. They passed away when Julie and I were young."

"That's sad."

"Yeah it is," Gage said, giving her hand a light squeeze. Sydney had come back over to them after checking on Julie's flight.

"Her flight is coming in now; we made it just in time."

"At least she can't get mad at me for not being here."

"Only because you drove like a madman getting here."

"You were complaining that we were going to be late."

Sydney planted her hands on her hips and glared at Gage. She knew he was right but she still wanted to have the last word. But she didn't have the chance as she heard a familiar voice coming through the crowd.

"Francis!" Julie called out, emerging from the plane. Gage walked over, holding out his arms and taking her in a hug.

"I missed you Jules."

"I've missed you too, Francis. Now where's Sydney?"

"Right here. It's great to see you again Julie," Sydney said, giving her soon-to-be sister-in-law a hug.

"And where is the special little lady I've heard so much about?"

"Right here," Gage said, taking Andie's hand again. "Jules, this is my daughter Andrea but she likes to be called Andie. Andie, this is my sister Julie, your aunt."

Julie knelt down in front of the little girl and smiled at her. She definitely looked like Gage and Julie felt a small pull to her as she wrapped her in a hug.

"It's nice to meet you, Andie."

"Me too," Andie said.

Everyone laughed and Gage looked at Julie. "Ready to go get your bags?"

"Just a minute Francis. I have my own announcement to make. I brought a date for your wedding."

"You brought a date? You didn't tell me you were dating anyone."

"It's new, Francis. I didn't want to jinx it so I just didn't mention it."

"So where is this date of yours?"

"Right here," Julie said, waving someone over to them. Gage looked up and saw the blonde haired man headed towards them. Julie slid her arm around him and smiled at Sydney and Gage.

"Francis, this is my boyfriend Eric Matson. Eric, this is my baby brother Francis and his fiancée Sydney Cooke. And this little lady is my niece Andie."

"Nice to meet you Francis," Eric said, holding out his hand.

"Just call me Gage, everyone else does. Julie is the only one to call me Francis."

"Okay, Gage it is."

"So what do you do Eric?"

"I work for the Parkerville Police Department."

"You're a cop?" Sydney asked.

"Yes and you're both rangers. Julie already told me."

"How did you guys meet?" Gage asked, trying to size up the man in front of him. Eric was about the same height as Gage, maybe an inch or two shorter. His blonde hair was a little shaggy, longer in the back but not quite a mullet. His eyes were a deep brown, almost the color of mud. He seemed to be pretty muscular, but Gage knew most cops usually took a self-defense class or two.

"We met on the job. Julie was reporting a story on a criminal we collared. She needed to ask a few questions and by the end of the night, we had agreed to go on a date. That was six months ago and I have to say, I'm quite taken with your sister."

"Francis, will you stop with the interrogation?"

"I can ask a few questions, Jules. You can't expect me not too. You just show up here with some guy you've been dating for six months that you never told me about?"

"Because I didn't want him to get the third degree from you."

"Gage, I would be happy to answer your questions, but maybe we could do this somewhere a little less public?" Eric asked.

"Great idea. Let's go back to our house," Sydney said, slipping her arm around Gage and leading the group to the parking lot. Julie and Eric had rented a car and would follow Gage and Sydney back to their new house.

Sydney could tell something was bothering Gage as they got into the car, but knew he wouldn't talk about it in front of Andie, who was now playing with her baby doll in the backseat. He simply started the car; made sure his sister was behind him and headed for home.


	6. Chapter 6

Once they arrived back at Gage and Sydney's house, Sydney showed Eric to the guest room while Andie went to play in the backyard and Gage took his sister into the study. They had some things to talk about.

Once the door closed, Gage turned to Julie.

"Why wouldn't you tell me you're dating someone?"

"Because it's none of your business, Francis. I'm happy, why can't you be happy for me?"

"I want to be happy for you Jules. I just…"

"You just what? Eric makes me happy, Francis. He's unlike any other man I've ever dated. He doesn't hide what he does from me and keeps me informed about what's going on in his life. He respects what I do as a reporter and doesn't try to get me to quit. I really think he could be the one."

"It's only been six months, Jules."

"I know that but I can't help how I feel. Don't you want me to have what you and Sydney have?"

"Of course I do, but it took me and Syd a long time to get where we are. We've been partners and friends for a long time before we got together."

"And technically you've been in a relationship for a couple weeks and now you're getting married, living together and raising your daughter. So how is it any different?"

Julie had a point and Gage hated to admit it. He and Sydney did kind of rush things once they admitted how the felt about each other. And he couldn't could how many times he had admitted to himself that he was in love with her before he actually told her.

"You're right Jules. I'm sorry. It's just since Mom and Dad aren't here to look after us, I feel I should look after you."

"Francis, I can take care of myself and you should know that. I know that you're always here for me but you need to let me be a big girl now."

"I know. But I still worry about you. I've always been the one to look after you, ever since that last home we were in."

"And you did you best to keep me safe. If it hadn't been for you taking those classes and learning the martial arts, Steven probably would've put me in the hospital. But you were there to protect me from him," Julie said, referring to their last foster father Steven Fairman.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"I know, you did when Ronson had me at that old farm. You were there to rescue me and bring me home. You and your friends made sure Ronson couldn't get to me and you were able to bring him down for all his enterprises."

"You helped with that, you know."

"And I would do it again in a heartbeat. We look after each other, Francis but now we have other people to look after us. You have Sydney and I have Eric. Just let me be happy Francis."

"Okay, okay, I give. Eric does seem like a pretty okay guy but he should know that if he hurts you, there won't be a safe place for him to hide in the entire world."

"Oh I know that already, Gage and I have no intentions of hurting Julie," Eric said as he came into the room. He placed one arm around Julie's shoulders and held his other hand out to Gage. Gage took it and shook his hand.

"Are we all good now Francis?" Julie asked her brother.

"Yeah, we're good. Let's go find Sydney and Andie."

"You've got a great daughter there, Gage."

"Thanks, I think she's pretty special too."

The three of them headed outside and saw Andie playing on her new swing set and Sydney was firing up the grill. They were having a dinner party tonight, their own version of a rehearsal dinner. Alex was going to bring the macaroni salad and mashed potatoes and Erika was going to bring the drinks. Then the women were going to go back to Walker's ranch and Walker was going to bunk in with Gage at his new place.

"Can you handle that grill there Shorty?" Gage called out.

"Better than you can," she teased.

"You are going to regret that now," Gage said as he started towards her. He scooped her up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder as he made towards the creek.

"Francis, you put me down this instant!" Sydney screeched.

"Then you know what you need to say."

"Put me down!"

"Say it."

"Okay, I give. You're a better grill master than me!"

"That's better," Gage said as he put her down. She reached up and smacked his arm before glaring at him.

"You're going to pay for that Francis," Sydney said.

"Daddy, were you going to throw Syd in the water?" Andie asked.

"No sweetie, I was just teasing her," Gage said.

"Good cause Aunt Alex and Uncle Walker are here."

"Come on Andie, let's go meet them and leave your daddy to tend to the grill," Sydney said taking her hand and smirking at Gage. Julie and Eric laughed.

Sydney walked around to the driveway and waved to Walker, Alex and Angela. He carried the food while Alex carried their daughter.

"Are we late?" she called out.

"Right on time. Gage is getting the food on the grill. Erika and Trivette should be here any minute."

"Your parents are on their way down, they had to run into town and get a few things," Walker said.

"Great. I want them to meet Julie."

"Is she here?" Alex asked, setting Angela down on a blanket near the picnic table.

"We picked her and her boyfriend up this afternoon."

"Julie has a boyfriend?" Alex asked. "Is Gage okay with that?"

"Gage is just fine," Gage said as he came around the corner followed by Julie and Eric. He shook Walker's hand and gave Alex a kiss on the cheek. "Alex, Walker you both remember my sister Julie and this is her boyfriend Eric Matson. Eric, this is Cordell Walker and his wife Alex. Walker is our boss down at Company B and Alex is ADA of Tarrant County."

"It's nice to meet you Eric," Walker said, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you as well, I've heard a lot about you Captain Walker."

"Please, just call me Walker."

"How long have you been with Julie?" Ale asked.

"Six months and I've never been happier," Eric said wrapping an arm around Julie.

"How sweet," Alex said.

"Alex, your daughter is getting so big. How old is she now?"

"Almost eight months. Time is flying by," Alex said.

"I bet. Hey Francis, when are you and Sydney going to try for a baby?" Julie called to her brother.

"Let's get through tomorrow first," Gage said.

"I second that," came Joe's voice from behind the group. They turned and saw Michelle and Joe along with Erika and Jimmy.

"Right on time. Mom, Dad this is Gage's sister Julie and her boyfriend Eric Matson. Eric, Julie, these are my parents Joseph and Michelle Cooke," Sydney said, making introductions.

"Nice to meet you Julie. You as well Eric," Michelle said.

"Nice to meet you as well, I can see where Sydney gets her good looks from," Julie said.

"Erika, let me take those and you can have a seat," Gage said, coming to take the jugs of lemonade and iced tea from her.

"Gage, I'm fine. I can handle them."

"Just let Gage take them, honey," Jimmy urged.

"Erika just found out she's pregnant," Gage explained to Julie and Eric.

"Congratulations," Julie said.

"Thank you. It certainly was a surprise," Erika said as she sat down on a bench.

"How far along are you?" Eric asked.

"4 weeks, give or take a day."

"That's exciting," Julie said.

"Yes, thank you," Erika said.

"Dinner's ready," Sydney called from the grill. She handed Gage a tray and loaded it with the burgers and hot dogs. He took it to the table as Sydney disappeared inside to get the buns and condiments.

Just as she grabbed the ketchup, a wave of dizziness hit her. She grabbed the marble counter, hoping it would pass. After a moment, she stood and chalked it up to nerves about the wedding. She finished gathering the condiments and went back outside.

Everyone was sitting around the table, laughing and talking as Sydney walked up to the table. Alex looked at her, Sydney looked pale.

"Sydney are you okay?"

"Yeah, just nervous about tomorrow. Hard to believe that by this time tomorrow I will be Mrs. Sydney Gage."

"And that sounds good doesn't it?" Gage said, kissing her cheek.

"Yes it does. We have so much to celebrate tonight. Not just our wedding tomorrow, but Julie's new relationship, Erika and Jimmy's new baby and that our friends and family could be here to celebrate with us," Sydney said, raising her glass.

"To family," Gage said and everyone echoed his words.

Later that night, Julie and Eric were in the kitchen washing the dishes. Michelle, Erika, Alex, Andie, Angela and Sydney had gone back to the Walker ranch to spend Sydney's last night as a single woman.

Jimmy, Walker, Joe and Gage sat around the fire pit in the backyard, having a few beers and talking about the events taking place the next day. Eric came out to join them.

"Julie said she was heading up to Walker's with the women."

"Come have a beer with us Eric," Walker called out. Eric took a beer and sat next to Gage.

"Are you nervous?" Jimmy asked.

"No," Gage said, way too quickly. Everyone kind of laughed. "Alright, maybe a little. I just don't want to disappoint Syd."

"There's nothing you could do to disappoint her," Walker said.

"I just can't wait to make her mine," Gage said as he stared at the stars.

"I couldn't think of a better man to give my daughter to," Joe replied and Gage looked at him.

"It means so much that you and Michelle could be here with us. With my parents not being here, I know it means a lot to Syd and to me."

"If they could've been here, you know they would've," Walker said quietly.

"I know. I just always thought my dad would be standing next to me on the day I got married."

"Well we'll all be there for you, buddy," Jimmy said.

"So Eric, what's your story? We don't seem to know much about you?" Walker asked the young man.

"Not much to know. I work for Parkerville PD, I met Julie a little over six months ago and that's that."

"What about your family?" Jimmy asked.

"Mom and Dad split when my brother and I were kids. He went to live with Mom and I stayed with my dad. I haven't seen my brother in years."

"Do you know where he is?" Walker asked.

"Last I heard, he was somewhere near Waco."

"Have you ever tried to find him?" Gage asked.

"I did a few times when I was younger, right after high school but I think Mom took her maiden name back and gave it to him. Either that or she changed their names altogether."

"Maybe we could look for him," Gage said slowly.

"You could really do that?" Eric asked him.

"Hey man, we're Texas Rangers, we can do anything," Gage said as he held out his arms to signify his "man strength".

"Maybe I'll take you up on that."

"I wonder what the ladies are doing right now," Jimmy said, leaning back in his chair and looking at the sky. The other men followed suit and took in the amazing Texas sky above them, filled with stars.

Up at the ranch house, Alex had gotten Angela and Andie into bed and then rejoined the women in the living room. Everyone had a glass of wine, except Erika and were chatting away.

"What time is the minister going to be here tomorrow?" Michelle asked.

"Ceremony starts at 11. Gage wanted to have the ceremony before lunch," Sydney said.

"Why, he going to be nervous to eat?" Erika asked.

"Probably. You know Gage and his appetite."

"Francis has always been a big eater. He just loves food," Julie added.

"And now I have to feed him for the rest of my life," Sydney finished with a laugh.

"Imagine what your kids will be like, if they develop his appetite," Alex said, coming into the room.

"Oh, I don't even want to think about that right now. Let's just focus on getting down the aisle and then we can talk babies," Sydney said, even though she lightly placed her hand over her stomach.

"All I know is I can't wait to have this baby. Jimmy has wanted a family for so long," Erika said as she sipped her sparkling cider.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Michelle asked.

"I know if it's a boy, Jimmy would like to find a place for the name Harold. That was his father's name. I have to admit though, I'm partial to Dallas. This is the place we met, fell in love and got married. This is the place we call home, our friends and family are here and where our child will be born and raised."

"Dallas is unique. I like it," Julie said.

"What about a girl?" Sydney asked.

"Jimmy has said he likes the name Tina, but I don't think it pairs well with Trivette. I like Alexis."

"Alexis is good too," Michelle said.

"Were you always set on the name Sydney when you were pregnant?" Erika asked Michelle.

"Oh yes. As soon as I found out we were having a girl, I knew I wanted the name Sydney. And the moment she came out and I looked into the big brown eyes; I knew she was definitely a Sydney."

"Well thanks Mom."

"Alex, have you thought about having more children?" Julie asked.

"I'd love to have more kids; I just think we should wait for Angela to be older. Besides her birth was pretty traumatic and I'd like to give myself some more time."

"What happened with Angela's birth, if you don't mind me asking?" Michelle asked.

"A lot was going on then. This crazy psycho named Emilie Lavocat helped some of his buddies escape from prison and they made it their goal to take down the 11 rangers that took them out, Walker being their prime target," Alex said.

"They took out Ranger Jensen on the courthouse steps, right next to me and Gage. All I could think was if Gage had been on the other side of me, or if that bullet had been more to the right, I would've lost Gage forever. Then we got the note about CD being poisoned," Sydney added.

"After finding out he had been poisoned, Lavocat attacked Jimmy by blowing up his car. Thankfully Jimmy was able to get away from the car before it exploded, but he had a lot of injuries to work through. When I got to the hospital, I really thought he was going to die. We had just gotten engaged and I kept begging him to pull through," Erika said.

"I had taken Walker aside in the hospital and told him I wanted him off the case. We didn't have just us to think about anymore and I didn't want my baby to grow up without a father. That was when my water broke and I had to deliver her early. We didn't even know if she was going to live or die. But Walker had one of his visions and knew she was going to be alright. He said it was an angel that led him to her, seeing her future and that was when we knew we were going to name her Angela Elizabeth Walker."

"Oh my, you all certainly went through a lot, didn't you?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah, but it brought me and Walker closer together and gave us our daughter," Alex said.

"It got Jimmy and me to the altar and now we're expecting a baby," Erika said.

"It got me to understand my feelings for Gage and finally admit them to myself," Sydney said.

"Then I guess it was all worth it, huh?" Julie asked.

"Yeah," chorused the three ladies.

Gage was pacing nervously in his living room at 9:55am the next morning. He had his jeans and socks on, his boots still waiting by the door. His shirt was tucked in but left unbuttoned at the top. His tie was lying on the couch and he was pacing. Gage was nervous, no getting around it.

Walker watched him from the top of the stairs. He remembered how nervous he was the day he married Alex, but that was nothing compared to Gage's nervousness. He just chuckled to himself and headed down the stairs.

"Gage, breathe."

"Walker! Do you have the ring? Is it time to go yet? Have you spoken to the minister? Sydney hasn't changed her mind has she? Is everything…"

"Gage, breathe," Walker said again. "Everything is fine. I have the ring in my pocket. We still have about an hour before the ceremony starts. The minister will be here in a few minutes and you can talk to him then."

"Sydney is still going to show up right?"

"She will be there. Alex is going to make sure of it. Calm down."

Gage let out a breath; he had no idea how long he held his breath. "Okay, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Jimmy came through the door. "Minister's here."

"Oh God! Walker, what time is it now? Do you have the ring? Are you sure Sydney is still coming?"

"Gage, snap out of it. You know that Sydney loves you and she will be coming down that aisle towards you in no time. Let's go talk to the minister."

Walker and Gage headed to meet the minister on the front porch.

"Reverend Taylor, it's nice to see you," Walker said, extending his hand.

"It's nice to see you too, Cordell. How are your lovely wife and daughter?"

"They're doing well. They will be at the ceremony."

"And how are you Francis?" the minister asked.

"Oh I'm good."

"Really?"

"Oh now I'm going to Hell for lying to a minister."

"Francis, you're not going to Hell. Every man can be nervous on his wedding day. Just remember to breathe. It's a very simple service. I will say something about love in general and then about you both. Then you will recite your vows to each other and I pronounce you husband and wife. Then you will kiss your bride. Any questions?"

"No I guess not."

"Okay, then let's get everyone together and get ready to head up to the ceremony."

"Let's go," Gage said, grabbing his tie and boots.

Up at Walker Ranch, Alex had just helped Sydney get her dress on. Michelle came in to help with Sydney's hair, pining it up just like she wanted. Erika came in to help with her makeup and Andie just sat on the bed watching all the women fussing.

"Why do adults get so crazy about weddings?" she asked.

"Because adults get nervous too and a wedding is a big thing in a woman's life. You'll find out someday when you get married," Sydney told her.

"That's not going to happen. Daddy says boys are gross."

"Most daddies tell their daughters that so they stay away from boys," Alex said.

"Yup."

"Sydney, its 10:45, are you almost ready?" Julie asked, coming into the room.

"Almost."

"Can we have a minute first? If you'll excuse us ladies," Julie said to everyone else. Everyone walked out of the room and Julie closed the door. She took a seat on the bench opposite of Sydney and smiled.

"Sydney, I want to be the first to welcome you into our family. Francis is my baby brother and I love him more than anyone else in the world. The only thing that could make this better would be if our parents could be here, but we all know they can't. Our mother would've loved to have met you, you are just the kind of woman she would've wanted Francis to end up with.

When our parents died, I spent a little time with the social worker going through their things. Francis was too young to understand that we might want some of their things someday so he doesn't know that I kept some things. But this was something special that our grandmother gave to our mother on her wedding day. I remember my mom telling me the story when I was a little girl and I knew I wanted to keep it in case Francis or I wanted it someday."

Julie held out a sapphire necklace, shaped like a heart. Sydney took it in her hands, tears forming in her eyes.

"Julie this is beautiful."

"My mother thought so too. She wore it on the day she married our father, along with that ring on your finger. I want you to have it."

"Julie, are you sure? You could save it for when you get married."

"I'm sure. I want you to have it. I know it will mean a lot to Francis if you wear it today. This way, it feels like our parents are still here with all of us on this glorious day."

"Thank you Julie. I will treasure it."

"I knew you would. When you're done with today, I want you to keep it and pass it along to Andie on her wedding day just as I passed it on to you, my mom passed it on to me and my grandma passed it on to her."

"Thank you Julie. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"Well, let's go get you married. Francis is probably a wreck out there," Julie said with a laugh as she stood. Sydney stood as well and Julie helped her swap out the gold chain for the silver clad heirloom from Gage's mother. Then she walked out the door.

Since the wedding was so small, Walker had set a couple hay bales outside near the archway for Joe, Michelle, Julie and Eric. He had just finished escorting the guests to their seats and took his spot between Gage and Trivette.

Andie came down the aisle, dropping wildflower petals on the ground and wearing the Gage family trademark grin. She sat next to Julie on the hay bale and waited for the older women to enter.

Erika walked first, her lavender dress making her a pure vision as she walked towards them. Jimmy couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. The bouquet of wildflowers in her hands looked exquisite and Jimmy realized how much he missed getting married in a church.

Alex was next, her pale pink dress making her blue eyes pop. The dress itself fell to just below her knees and had sheer sleeves. She had her gold cross that Walker had given her when Angela was born around her neck and the only other jewelry she wore was her wedding ring. She looked at Walker as she remembered her own walk down the aisle not so long ago.

Finally it was time for Sydney and her father. Michelle turned, along with Julie, Eric and Andie to watch them come down the aisle. The new addition to her outfit made the simple white slip dress look even more elegant.

Gage couldn't believe what he saw as Joe led his daughter down the aisle. It was as if everyone else had melted away and all he could see was an angel with Sydney's face coming towards him on a cloud. He almost forgot to breathe and if it hadn't been for a well-placed poke from Walker, he might have passed out right there.

As they reached him, Joe leaned over and placed a kiss upon Sydney's cheek. She smiled at her father before gracing his cheek with a kiss. She might be his little girl but after today, she would be a married woman. He lightly held onto her left arm as the minister spoke.

"Who gives this woman to this man?"

"Her mother and I," Joe said, a tear forming in his eye as he glided Sydney's hand into Gage's. He smiled once more at his new son-in-law and took his seat next to his wife. Sydney turned to hand her bouquet to Alex before turning back to look at Gage. The minister began again.

"Today is a blessed occasion as these two people before me are here to pledge their lives to one another. Love is a special kind of thing, as it is infinite in its own wisdom. Love is in everything and everyone and when it manifests itself into something more, it becomes something that is shared between two halves of the same soul. I can't think of anything better to describe the people standing before me today. Francis Gage, if you would like to pronounce your vows to Sydney."

Gage cleared his throat and winced at the sound of his first name. "Sydney, I have loved you from the moment I saw you. Nobody has ever understood me the way you do and I don't think anyone ever will. There isn't anything I don't love about you; the way your eyes light up when you pin me to the mat during a workout or the way your hair bounces while you go jogging. The way you smile when you look at Angela or the way you plant your hands on your hips when I do something wrong. It all just makes me fall a little bit more in love with you every day. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives seeing all those same expressions and maybe even a few new ones. I love you Sydney Cooke and today I'm honored to become your husband."

"Sydney, your vows?" the minister asked.

"Gage, when we first met to go undercover together, I really thought you were going to give me a hard time about being partnered with a woman. But you didn't treat me like a woman; you treated me like your partner. You watched my back and continue to do so every day. I've never met someone who could anticipate my moves like you do and you truly are my other half. Nobody completes me the way you do and nobody ever will. I love you Francis Gage and I can't wait to begin our lives together as one."

"May I have the rings?" Reverend Taylor asked Walker. He handed them to the minister and smiled at Alex.

Reverend Taylor held up the ring. "A ring is like a loving relationship. It has no beginning and has no end. A ring is an infinite symbol and the perfect representation of love." He handed one ring to Gage. "Francis, if you will repeat after me: I Francis, take you Sydney to be my wife."

"I Francis, take you Sydney to be my wife."

"To have and to hold from this day forth."

"To have and to hold from this day forth."

"To let no one tear asunder."

"To let no one tear asunder."

"Until death do us part."

"Until death do us part."

"Francis, you may now place the ring on Sydney's finger." Gage slid the ring on her fourth left finger and smiled as she took her ring and his hand.

"Sydney, if you will repeat after me: I Sydney, take you Francis to be my husband."

"I Sydney, take you Francis to be my husband."

"To have and to hold from this day forth."

"To have and to hold from this day forth."

"To let no one tear asunder."

"To let no one tear asunder."

"Until death do us part."

"Until death do us part."

"Sydney, you may now place the ring on Francis' finger." Sydney slid the ring on Gage's finger.

"You may now kiss your bride."

Gage took his hands, placed them on Sydney's cheeks and slowly brought his lips to hers. One brief touch against her soft and warm lips was all it took; he crashed himself to her summoning up all the passion he could muster as he pledged himself to her. It definitely put Walker and Alex's kiss to shame.

After breaking apart, Sydney buried her face in Gage's chest and let her happy tears fall. The minister cleared his throat and she looked up. He had them turn and face their family.

"By the powers vested in me by the great state of Texas, I am proud to present Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gage."

Everyone clapped for the couple as they walked down the short aisle over to the porch where their "reception" was going to be held. Everyone else followed and the party soon began.

After the reception, Gage and Sydney said their goodbyes to their friends and family before heading back to their home. Julie and Eric were going to a hotel for the weekend and Joe and Michelle would be staying with the Walkers with Andie.

The couple approached their front door and Gage scooped Sydney up into his arms before opening the door.

"Welcome home Mrs. Gage."

"Thank you Mr. Gage."

He never bothered to stop until he had climbed the stairs and deposited her on their bed. They had agreed to keep most of Gage's furniture, but had bought a new bed for their new home. He withdrew from her long enough to shed the tie and vest before climbing back on her, claiming her lips.

"Wait, I think we have far too many clothes on right now," she said with a seductive smile. Gage took the hint and began to pull his shirt from his jeans. Sydney laid back against the pillows, content on watching him undress for her.

"Hey I shouldn't be the only one not wearing clothes here," he said seductively as he crawled on the bed towards her. She giggled as he pounced on her and his hands went to the straps of her dress.

"Then I guess you're going to have to help me," Sydney replied with a smile of her own. Gage sat up her and pulled the dress over her head before tossing it on the floor. He drank in the sight of her in the lacy white bra and panties with her thigh high stockings.

"You are beautiful, Mrs. Gage."

"You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Gage."

Gage took possession of her mouth, his tongue boldly demanding access and his wife obliged. His hands began to caress her body as she responded to him, arching her back and pushing her breasts into his hard, sculpted chest.

His hand went around to her back, releasing the clasps on her bra and pulling it from her body. He took a moment to appreciate his wife's anatomy before diving in head first. He nipped, nibbled and teased her breasts while his hand travelled down her body towards her womanhood.

Sydney could feel his erection pressing hard against her and she craved him like an addict craves a fix. She wrapped her arms around him and purred like a kitten to him.

"I need you now, Gage."

He slid his hand up and down her leg before sliding down her body and grasping the waistband of her panties with his teeth. Sliding this tiny garment down her legs, he slipped himself inside of her and let out a moan of the intense pleasure surrounding him.

"How do you do these things to me, Syd?" he murmured in her ear as he thrust into her. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer to her as she bucked her hips against him.

Her mind went into sensory overload as the feelings of ecstasy flooded her. She started breathing harder, almost like she was climbing Everest. With his final thrust, Sydney felt like had fallen over the edge of the abyss and she cried out. His cry followed hers after a moment as he poured himself into her.

Falling to the bed beside her, Gage pulled her close and she snuggled into his side, lazily laying an arm across his waist as his went around her neck.

"That was incredible," Sydney whispered to her husband.

"I happen to agree, but then I'm pretty biased."

"You're not the only one."

"Well, one down and two more to go," Gage said as his eyes drifted towards the window.

"What do you mean?" Sydney asked, leaning up on her elbow.

"Well we got the wedding out of the way. Now we have that meeting on Monday and the trial starts Wednesday."

"Alex said it's a pretty open/shut case. With our testimonies, she said it's very likely that the jury will convict."

"As long as it gets her out of our lives, I don't care. I just don't want her to be able to get near our family."

"Let's see what the judge says on Monday."

"Okay," Gage said as he pulled her closer and kissed her.

In the 8X8 cell, staring out the window, Hilary Wilson let her mind wander to thoughts of her daughter and Gage. She had gotten wind of Gage and Sydney's wedding and the thought of her beloved Gage married to that whore made her blood boil.

Guard Morrow came down the hall and stopped outside of her cell.

"Did you hear?" she asked Hilary.

"Of course I did. I have eyes and ears everywhere. The marriage won't last; I'll make sure of that."

"I hear your daughter was in the wedding."

"Sydney Cooke has no rights over my daughter and she never will. I'm Andrea's mother."

"I hear they have an appointment with Judge Steinman and ADA Walker on Monday morning."

"Why?"

"Not sure but Steinman is a big child advocate."

"They're not taking my child from me."

"They might be trying to."

"It won't happen. Sydney Cooke will never have any say over my daughter."

"Hilary, if they get your rights terminated, there will be nothing you can do."

"That won't happen."

"Hilary, it could."

"Then you need to find out what you can about this meeting."

"I don't know Hilary. I could get in a lot of trouble for what I've already done."

"You promised Mama that you would always look after me."

"I know what I promised but this is going too far."

"You promised Mama," Hilary said again.

"Hilary, do you honestly think if Gage had known about Andrea, you guys would be together right now?"

"I know we would. Gage loves kids and if I had told him about Andrea back when I got pregnant; I know he would've married me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"His parents kicked the bucket when he was a kid. He wouldn't have wanted that for his child. I knew I should've told him."

"Then why didn't you?"

"I don't know. But you find out what you can about that meeting. I need to know before I go to trial on Wednesday."

"I'll do my best."

"Mama would be proud."

After spending two whole days in bed together, Sydney woke early on Monday morning. She looked over at her husband sleeping beside her and smiled. She couldn't get enough of him. She slid from the bed and went to take a shower. Their meeting with the judge was at 9am.

Gage stirred and reached for his wife's side of the bed, only to find it empty. He sat up in bed, wondering if everything had been a dream until he realized he wasn't in his apartment, but his new home with his bride. He heard the shower and decided to go make coffee.

Sydney had just finished in the shower and she heard Gage go downstairs. As she stepped onto the fluffy white mat in front of the shower, a wave of nausea hit her. She dove for the toilet but nothing came. Maybe she was nervous about the meeting or maybe the shower water was too hot. Either way, Sydney didn't worry about it nor did she tell Gage.

When she stepped into the bedroom, he was coming in with the coffee.

"Good morning, Mrs. Gage."

"Good morning, Mr. Gage."

"Coffee?" he asked, holding out the cup.

"Yes please," she said, taking it from him. Gage always made the best morning coffee, hot and strong the same way she liked her man.

"You got up early today," he noted.

"We need to get a move on. Appointment is at 9."

"I know. Let me just jump in the shower real quick." He leaned down and kissed her gently before heading to the bathroom. Sydney set the cup on the dresser and went to find something presentable to wear.

Twenty minutes later, they were both dressed and heading out the door. Other than having rings and a piece of paper between them, it was as if nothing had changed. He still held the door open for her and let her drive them into town. Gage knew how she felt about his driving so he normally let her drive. They headed for town.

Arriving at the Judge's office, they met with Alex outside.

"Good morning newlyweds," she said.

"Good morning Alex. I hope Andie wasn't too much trouble this weekend," Gage said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"No trouble at all. You should be very proud, Gage, she is so polite."

"I'm glad to hear it. Alex, do you really think we can do this?" he asked.

"It's worth a shot. Are you guys ready?"

They nodded and the three of them entered the office. Judge Steinman looked up and smiled at them.

"Good morning, Mrs. Walker."

"Good morning Judge Steinman. I'd like to introduce Ranger Francis Gage and his wife Ranger Sydney Cooke Gage."

"Please have a seat." The sat across from him. "I'm sure Alex has explained what will happen here today but I'd like to hear from you, Ranger Gage."

"Well Your Honor, my wife and I are here to file to have my daughter's mother's parental rights terminated as we believe she is a danger to herself and others," Gage said.

"Do you have proof that she's a danger?" Steinman asked.

"Well, she attacked my wife and me while we were at a safe house. Our boss, Ranger Walker, placed us there for protection and Ms. Wilson had found us and attacked us both."

"Ranger Cooke, do you prefer Cooke or Gage?"

"As my work goes, I prefer Cooke but for everything else, the name is Gage."

"Alright, for these proceedings you will be referred to as Mrs. Gage."

"Fine with me."

"Mrs. Gage, your husband says Ms. Wilson attacked you both. Can you describe the attack?"

"Of course. As my husband said, we were at the safe house for protection when Ms. Wilson found us. She hit me with something, knocking me unconscious. I was then taken out the barn and tied to a chair. She came out a few minutes later dragging my husband behind her. She confessed her whole plan to drug him and sexually assault him in front of me as well as her plan for him to execute me."

"Ranger Gage, did Ms. Wilson sexually assault you?"

"Not at that time, no. She did, however, assault me about four years prior to that."

"What do you mean?" Steinman asked.

"I met Ms. Wilson when I worked in Houston. I never really wanted to have any kind of relationship with her, but she pursued me aggressively. I finally agreed to take her to dinner and a movie. During the movie, she drugged my drink and when we got back to her apartment, she took advantage of me. Because of that night, she got pregnant and that resulted in our daughter Andrea," Gage said.

"We firmly believe that Ms. Wilson is a threat to us and to Andrea. She has already contacted us while incarcerated. We believe that terminating her parental rights will help to not only keep us safe from her but to keep Andrea safe as well," Sydney added.

"Alex, what's your opinion on the subject?" Steinman asked.

"In the short time that Ms. Wilson has been incarcerated and Andrea has been placed with her father and stepmother, she has blossomed from a shy little girl into a happy outgoing child. My office will be prosecuting Ms. Wilson for the charges from the assault at the safe house location and we will be going for the max. Peace officers are here to help make our state a safer and more peaceful place to live, assault and attempted sexual assault against them will not be tolerated."

Judge Steinman was quiet as he processed everything presented before him. While it was a rare occasion for a mother to lose parental rights over her children, if everything they had said was true, Ms. Wilson was truly a threat to both rangers as well as to her daughter. He knew Alex would never bring this before him if it wasn't true, so he did one of the most difficult things he'd ever done.

"Ranger Gage, Mrs. Gage, I want you to know I do not come to this decision lightly. In fact, this is the hardest case that has ever been presented to me in my 25 years on the bench. As a father myself, I can only imagine what you have been through in the short time that you've had your daughter.

Effective immediately, Hilary Wilson's parental rights of daughter Andrea Gage born May 17th are terminated. Full parental and custodial rights are hereby award to Ranger Francis Gage."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Gage said as he stood to shake the man's hand.

"As far as Mrs. Gage having rights over Andrea Gage, I believe Alex could help with the adoption paperwork."

"Thank you so much," Sydney said, also shaking his hand.

"Best of luck to you all."

Alex led them from the office and once they were in the hall, Sydney and Gage took Alex in a big group hug.

"Alex we can't thank you enough for what you've done," Gage said.

"Don't thank me yet. We still need to get Andie's adoption paperwork done and get through the trial."

"Only one more hurdle to go," Sydney said as she kissed her husband.

As promised, Guard Morrow was outside Hilary's cell later that night. She was supposed to be doing rounds but she knew Hilary would want to know what she found out.

"Hilary."

"What did you find out?"

"Gage met with Steinman to get your parental rights terminated."

"What did the judge say? I know you know so tell me now."

"Your lawyer will be in tomorrow to give you the official news but the judge terminated your rights. You no longer have any say over Andrea. Gage has been awarded full parental and custodial rights."

"That bitch is going to pay for this. I need to make sure I have eyes on Ranger Cooke."

"She goes by Mrs. Gage now."

"She'll go by deceased by the time I'm through."

Andie had taken the news surprisingly well. She might not have understood when Gage and Sydney were saying but she got the basic gist of it. Her mother was going to something called prison for a very long time and Sydney was going to be her mother now.

"Does that mean I call Syd Mommy?" Andie asked her father.

"You can. I would like it if you did," Gage told her.

"Are you still my daddy?"

"Of course. I will always be your daddy."

"And you're my mommy now?" Andie asked, turning to Sydney.

"Yes and you're my daughter now."

"But what about my other mommy?"

"She was doing some very naughty things and will be punished for them," Gage said.

"So she's going in time out?"

"A very long, long time out," Sydney told her.

"Will I see her?"

"Probably not, honey. We just want to keep you safe," Gage said.

"But why was my other mommy naughty?"

"We don't know honey. She just did some really naughty things. But we wanted you to hear this from us first. Nothing is going to take you away from your daddy and me. We love you and we will always be here for you," Sydney said, taking the little girl in her arms.

"Okay. I love you Mommy," Andie said into Sydney's shoulder. Sydney looked at Gage and he put both arms around his girls to just hold them.

Wednesday morning, Gage and Sydney dropped Andie off at the H.O.P.E. center and headed for the courthouse where they met with Alex, Walker and Trivette. Pleasantries were exchanged as Hilary was escorted into the courtroom. She glared at Sydney and silently blew a kiss at Gage.

"That woman makes my skin crawl," Gage said, turning his back to her and wrapping an arm around Sydney even tighter.

"After today, she will be out of your lives," Alex said.

"You guys just focus on Andie and everything will be fine," Walker added.

"Ready guys?" Alex asked. They followed her into the courtroom.

After Alex and defense attorney Johnathon Millbrook introduced themselves to the judge, everyone took their seats. Johnathon started by say that Hilary was not a danger and that this whole thing was a giant misunderstanding.

"A misunderstanding is what Mr. Millbrook wants you to think this is. What we have here is a clear case of obsession on the part of Ms. Wilson. What we have here is a clear case of someone who wanted to act out physical bodily harm to not one, but two Texas Rangers. Ms. Wilson is guilty of the crimes she has committed and it's up to you to see her punished. Thank you," Alex said, walking back to her seat.

"Mrs. Walker, please call your first witness."

"The state calls Ranger Francis Gage."

Gage took the witness stand, got sworn in and sat down. He looked at Alex.

"Ranger Gage, can you please tell us what happened at the safe house between you and Ms. Wilson?"

"Ranger Cooke and I were at the safe house; I had just come out of the shower, dressed and went downstairs to see about getting some lunch. The front door was open and I didn't see Ranger Cooke anywhere. I went for my gun but felt hands come over my eyes. I felt a sharp pain in my neck and fell to the floor."

"Did you lose consciousness?"

"Yes."

"What happened when you regained consciousness?"

"I was tied to a bed in the barn. Ranger Cooke was tied and gagged to a chair in the barn. Hilary was kissing me. She kept telling me that we were going to be together now and that Sydney had to die. She told me I had to kill Sydney with my gun and then we could be together."

"Obviously you did not kill Ranger Cooke as she is alive and well in the courtroom today. What did happen?"

"I convinced Hilary to let me take her outside. I told her I didn't want to ruin all her hard work. On our walk outside, I told Ranger Cooke that I would miss on purpose and leave my handcuff keys so that she could free herself and get to her gun."

"Did anything else happen when you returned to the barn?"

"Hilary kept trying to get me back on the bed. Finally she pointed a gun at me and forced me to lie down. She kept trying to kiss me, saying we had to consummate our relationship. I struggled and she said she would drug me if I didn't cooperate. When she went to get the drugs, Ranger Cooke entered the barn and took her down. She freed me and we handed her over to the Dallas Police Department while we conferred with Rangers Walker and Trivette."

"Thank you Ranger Gage," Alex said as she sat down.

The judge looked at Mr. Millbrook. "Your witness."

Millbrook stood and walked over to Gage. "Ranger Gage, can you describe your relationship with my client."

"We met in Houston a few years ago and went for coffee a few times. We had lunch together a few times, she kept asking me out and I finally gave in. We went on exactly one date. That was it."

"Isn't it true that you have a child with Ms. Wilson?"

"Yes."

"So it's fair to say you were intimate with Ms. Wilson?"

"Not by choice," Gage said.

"Then what are you saying Ranger Gage?"

"I'd rather not discuss it."

"Well since you'd rather not discuss it then that can only mean that you had a sexual relationship with Ms. Wilson, fathered her child and then abandoned your responsibilities. When she finally tracked you down, you wanted nothing to do with her and it drove her to commit an insane act."

"Objection!" Alex said, standing up.

"Overruled. Witness will answer."

Gage sighed. "I did not have a sexual relationship with Hilary. She drugged me on our date and sexually assaulted me when we got to her apartment. I had no idea she was pregnant, nor did she tell me. As far as her tracking me down, she did that because she was desperate for us to be together. I don't want anything to do with her, I love my wife."

"And who is your wife, Ranger Gage?"

"Ranger Cooke is my wife."

"Isn't true that you and Ranger Cooke are newlyweds?"

"Yes."

"And didn't you recently file to have Ms. Wilson's parental rights terminated?"

"Yes we did."

"And you did this without speaking to Ms. Wilson?"

"Didn't really figure I needed to. I want her out of our lives for a reason. That woman is insane."

"Only because I love you Gage! Why are you saying these things about us? You know that we're meant to be together! We need to raise our daughter together!" Hilary cried as she stood from the defense table and began to charge the witness stand.

"Bailiff, please control the defendant!" the judge called as be banged his gavel. The bailiff was able to grab hold of Hilary and hauled her from the courtroom.

"I'm calling a recess. Court will resume in 15 minutes."

Everyone gathered by Alex's desk.

"What the hell was that?" Gage asked.

"I'd say she's setting up for an insanity plea," Alex said.

"Do you think the jury would go for that?" Walker asked.

"I have no idea. All I know is clearly Gage is a trigger for her. Maybe she should be locked up in an insane asylum," Alex said.

"Well, are they going to need me anymore today? If not I can leave," Gage replied quickly.

"You haven't been officially excused yet. You will have to return after the recess."

"Great," he said with a lack of enthusiasm.

"What if they can't get her to calm down?" Sydney asked.

"They could hold off on completing the trial until she does or is deemed unfit to proceed. If that happens, she could end up in holding until she can be cleared for trial."

"Will she be in jail?" Sydney asked.

"Probably end up in an insane asylum."

"We can't let this happen. She needs to go to prison. We already told Andie that we were going to keep her safe from Hilary," Gage said.

"We will keep her safe. Hilary won't get to her," Walker said.

"The only that will happen is if she is in jail," Sydney replied.

"ADA Walker, court is about to resume," the bailiff said. Everyone took their seats and Gage got back on the witness stand. The judge called the court to order. Hilary was led back in with her lawyer and instructed not to look at Gage. Millbrook looked up from the defendant's table.

"No further questions for this witness."

"You may step down, Ranger Gage," the judge told him. Gage hurried back to his seat.

"The People call Ranger Sydney Cooke."

Sydney stood, went to the witness stand and got sworn in. Alex walked over to her.

"Ranger Cooke, we heard from Ranger Gage about what happened at the safe house. Is there anything you'd like to add?"

"While she had me tied up, Hilary confessed to me that she had previously sexually assaulted Ranger Gage. She told me that he was hers and it was all my fault that they weren't together. She got a few hits in before setting her sights on Ranger Gage."

"Ranger Cooke, you married Ranger Gage this past weekend, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you've gotten Ms. Wilson's parental rights terminated correct?"

"Yes."

"Why did you do that?"

"Ranger Gage and I are very concerned not only for our safety but the safety of Ranger Gage's daughter Andrea who is living with us. We feel that if Ms. Wilson is able to, she will come after us again and someone could end up getting hurt this time."

"Thank you Ranger Cooke. No further questions." Alex took her seat and Millbrook got up, coming up to Sydney.

"Ranger Cooke, you say you fear for your safety. Aren't you a Texas Ranger? Can't you take care of yourself?"

"I can and so can Ranger Gage. It's Andrea we're mostly concerned about."

"You really think that Ms. Wilson would harm her own daughter?"

"Yes, especially now that her rights have been terminated and the adoption paperwork has been started."

"What adoption paperwork?"

"For me to formally adopt Andrea," Sydney said in her calm, cool voice. Hilary glared in her direction and looked like she wanted to lunge across the table, but she kept her distance.

"You're adopting Ms. Wilson's child?"

"Yes."

"No further questions," Millbrook said, walking back to the defendant's table.

"You may step down Ranger Cooke." Sydney walked back to Gage and together they walked out of the courtroom.

About an hour and a half later, Gage and Sydney noticed people filing out of the courtroom. The case must've been turned over to the jury. Since they were no longer needed, Gage wanted to get out of there but Sydney knew they should stay close to hear the verdict.

When Alex came out, the two stood and faced her, Walker and Trivette.

"How did it go?"

"I think it went well. Millbrook paraded some people in to say that Hilary was completely normal until Gage came into her life. They basically said he was the one to make her crazy. They all said she was a good mother and did a great job taking care of Andie all by herself for so long.

But on cross, they folded like a house of cards. A few of them mentioned her obsession with Gage and how she couldn't stop talking about him after that first meeting with him. When she found out she was pregnant, she told some of her friends that she had already pictured their wedding and how they would raise the baby together. They had told her she was getting ahead of herself but she didn't care. She knew they were going to be together, one way or another," Alex said.

"So has it been turned over to the jury?" Gage asked.

"Yup. Now we wait."

"Let's grab a bite while we wait," Trivette said. "There's a café across the street we could go to."

The group headed out of the courthouse but before they could make it to the parking lot, a court officer was calling for Alex.

"The jury is back. We need you inside."

"That was quick," Alex said as they turned around and headed back inside.

Once inside the courtroom, everyone took their seats as the jury filed back inside. This had to be the quickest verdict on record as the jury was only out for half an hour.

"Will the defendant please rise?" the judge asked. Hilary and her lawyer stood.

"On the count of assault against a peace officer, we find the defendant guilty. On the count of attempted sexual assault of a peace officer, we find the defendant guilty. On the count of attempted murder of a peace officer, we find the defendant guilty. On the count of possession of an illegal substance, we find the defendant guilty," the jury foreman said before closing the paper and taking his seat.

"Members of the jury, we thank you for your service."

Alex stood up. "Your Honor, we ask for direct sentencing."

"Granted. Ms. Wilson you have been found guilty on all counts. You are hereby sentenced to 40 years to be served at Gatesville Women's Correctional Facility effective immediately. Bailiff please take the defendant into custody."

As the bailiff walked over to Hilary, she turned to see Gage one last time. She called out to him as the bailiff led her away.

"This isn't over, lover! We will be together!"

Gage just pulled Sydney closer to him and kissed the top of her head. They were finally free.

They all went to CDs to celebrate the victory. As they sat down and Marta came to take their orders, Sydney caught a faint whiff of something and bolted for the bathroom. Alex got up to make sure she was okay.

She heard Sydney inside the stall and knocked quietly on the door.

"Sydney?"

"Just a minute, Alex."

The toilet flushed and Sydney came out of the stall. She went to the sink to rinse her mouth out with cold water.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked.

"Fine, it was probably just nerves over this finally being over."

"Are you sure? You've been looking really pale over the last week or so."

"I'm sure. I'm fine Alex. I probably just need to get some rest."

"Sydney, I know these symptoms. I had them when I was pregnant with Angela."

"Alex, I can't be pregnant. Gage and I just got married."

"But you were intimate before that. You told your mother and me, remember?"

Sydney thought back to the conversation at the apartment she had with her mother and Alex. Could she really be pregnant?

"Sydney, I know its personal, but did you and Gage use protection?"

"I honestly can't remember. Alex, what am I going to do? I can't be pregnant."

"Sydney, if you are it would be wonderful news. Gage wants to have children with you. You know he does and Andie has said she wants to be a big sister."

"But we literally just got married. It's too soon to be having a baby."

"Sydney, you won't know anything unless you go to a doctor. And you need to tell your husband."

"I know, I know. But I want to do it alone. I'll talk to him when we get home."

"Okay, let's get back before they wonder where we've disappeared too."

The women made their way back to the table and sat next to their husbands. Gage looked at Sydney but she just smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

After lunch, the couples went home. As Sydney and Gage entered their home, Sydney sat on the couch. Gage sat beside her and took her hand.

"Syd, are you okay? You didn't seem okay at lunch."

"Gage, I have to ask you something."

"Anything."

"Did we use protection when we made love?"

"Which time?"

"Any of them."

"I can't remember. Why? What's wrong Syd?"

"Gage, I think I could be pregnant." Sydney waited for his reaction.

Gage couldn't believe what had just come from his wife's mouth. They had literally been married less than a week and now she was telling him that she might be having a baby.

"Have you been to the doctor?"

"No."

"Let's get you an appointment before we go to crazy, okay? I don't want to get my hopes up for it to not be real."

Sydney nodded as she picked up the phone. She called her doctor and was able to get an appointment for that afternoon.

As Gage and Sydney sat in her doctor's office, awaiting the results, the couple was strangely quiet. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts and didn't even notice when the doctor had come back in the room. She just smiled as she watched her patient and her husband sit quietly.

"Mrs. Gage, I have your test results," Dr. Dixon said.

"Wait, before we hear the results, I have to ask you something Sydney," Gage said as he turned to his wife. He took her hand. "Regardless of the results, do you want to have a baby with me?"

"Of course I do. I love you."

"I love you too," Gage said as he leaned over to kiss his wife. They both faced the doctor.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gage, you are having a baby."

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH SYDNEY AND GAGE? LOOK FOR THE SEQUEL SYDNEY AND GAGE: PARTNERS TO PARENTS TO CONTINUE THE SAGA WITH OUR FAVORITE RANGERS.**


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